Fort Nottingham.

Subject: Fort Nottingham. Fri Sep 07, 2012 9:59 pm

The fort built on the oposite bank at RD, not a lot left of it as
urbanisation takes over. The hole in the rock is the original well sunk by
the troops. The old chisel marks are still visible and also the polished
area that bayonets were sharpened on.
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Photos and text by Springbok.

Subject: Fort Nottingham. Sat Sep 08, 2012 11:24 am

Hi springy.

Was this fort not called 'Fort Northampton' and the one on the opposite bank called 'Fort Melvill' ? I thought that 'Fort Nottingham' was built in 1856, and was owned by someone called David Fox. Also there was a fort built on the Itelezi Ridge and was named 'Fort Warwick', in memory of the 24th (2nd Warwickshire) regiment of foot.

The photos you send for Pete to post up are brilliant mate, many thanks, and also thanks to Pete for posting them.

Salute

Subject: Fort Nottingham Sat Sep 08, 2012 12:12 pm

Hi Martin.
I think your nearly right , This from Labands ' Kingdom and Colony at war ' page 227 . '' The Colonial Government had commenced a system of defences , in conjunction with the Imperial Military , during the 1860's , when it assumed some financial responsibilities for the stone blockhouse of Fort Nottingham and the earthworks of Fort Buckingham and Williamson '' ... Fort Melvill was indeed the new fort overlooking the Ponts at R.D after the battle
it was originally named Fort Revenge but Chelmesford didnt like the name .
Cheers 90th. Salute

Subject: Re: Fort Nottingham. Sat Sep 08, 2012 1:31 pm

<<<<<<< the nearest I can get to showing embarassed.
Fort Northampton it is. ( In my defence Ive never been very good at English Geography :lol: )

Cheers

PS I will shortly post some pictures of Fort Melvill

Subject: Fort Northampton Sat Sep 08, 2012 1:43 pm

Hi Martin .
I seem to recall reading Fort Northampton was built and named before the 1st Boer war or the 2nd ? . Reasonably Certain there wasnt a Fort Northampton in operation near R.D during the AZW .
Cheers 90th. Salute

Posts : 2308 Join date : 2010-07-02 Age : 44

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Subject: Fort Northampton. Sat Sep 08, 2012 6:39 pm

Hi impi.

Thanks for the link, I thought I had read somewhere that a Mr David Fox owned it.

Hi Gary (90th).

According to the RD Lodge web site, Fort Northampton was built during the Zulu War, and after it was abandoned it was occupied by the first magistrate of the Nqutu district, a Mr R.H Addison, until 1894.

Hi springy.

Too much wine during dinner :lol: :lol: :lol:

Hope you are feelng better mate.

Salute

Posts : 2308 Join date : 2010-07-02 Age : 44

I think in was built in 1856

Subject: Fort Northampton. Sat Sep 08, 2012 11:26 pm

Hi impi.

Yes, you are right mate, as I said in my earlier post to springbok, Fort Nottingham was built in 1856.

It was Fort Northampton that was built during the Zulu war, it was on the opposite bank from Fort Melvill on the RD bank.

Another fort was built on the Itelezi Ridge and was named Fort Warwick in honour of the 24th (2nd Warwickshire) Regiment.

Salute

Subject: Fort Nottingham Sun Sep 09, 2012 8:05 am

Hi Martin .
I can see many people becoming confused on this thread !. As we know Fort Nottingham and Fort Northampton are two differant
Forts . I cant find anything that mentions Fort Northampton was built or used during the AZW. I'm positive it was built during the 1ST Boer war 1881 - 1883 ?????.
Cheers 90th. Salute

Subject: Fort Nottingham. Sun Sep 09, 2012 10:44 am

Hi Gary.

Well according to the Rorke's Drift Lodge web site, Fort Northampton was built during the Zulu war on the opposite bank from Fort Melvill, which was on the RD bank. Read my post yesterday (8/9/12) 6.39pm, it states that a Mr Addison lived there after it was abandoned.

Fort Nottingham was built in 1856, so if the RD Lodge site is correct, and Fort Northampton was built during the Zulu War, it must have been built in 1879.

Cheers mate Salute

Subject: Fort Nottingham. Sun Sep 09, 2012 12:06 pm

Hi Gary.

Been doing a bit of checking up on this Fort (Northampton), and it looks like the RD Lodge site might have got it wrong about it being built during the ZULU WAR, and It would appear that it was built during the ZULU CIVIL WAR, so it looks likes you are right about it not being used during the AZW, however, it might well have been used during the Boer War.

The name of it would imply that it was named after the Caldwel reforms of 1881, as the old 58th (Rutlandshire) regiment became the Nothamptonshire regiment, so it looks like the RD Lodge web site have indeed got it wrong.

I am glad that Fort Warwick was built during the AZW, it was named in memory of the 24th (2nd Warwickshire) regiment, can you imagine the name it would have had if it had been built after the Caldwel reforms of 1881. Shocked

:evil:

Hope this helps mate.

Martin. Salute

Subject: Fort Nottingham Sun Sep 09, 2012 12:20 pm

Hi Martin.
Thanks for that , as I was getting a bit worried that I'd missed it , I'd never heard of it being in use during the AZW but was aware it was
indeed used in the 1880's , there are some graves either in the grounds of the old site , or nearby of troops who died there in the 80's . I dont have any books on either the First or Second Boer War , maybe another member has and can possibly post some information on Fort Northampton . Salute

.
Cheers Mate , 90th. Very Happy

Posts : 225 Join date : 2011-09-19

Hi Martin

"The Caldwel reforms of 1881" ? I presume you mean the CARDWELL reforms ? Edward Cardwell was Secretary of State for War from 1868 to 1874. During that period he instigated many reforms, those that came in 1881 were just a few of them. There are numerous books available on the British army in the late 19th Century eg "The Late Victorian Army" by Edward Spiers. If you were to read these you would have a much greater understanding of what was going on at these times !

Fort Warwick was built in June 1879 by a company of the 2/24th under Captain J J Harvey between Nceceni and Telezini on the advancing 2nd Division's line of communication to Koppie Alleen. It is about 12km due east of the site of the Battle of Blood River. There is a diagram of it on Page 67 in Laband & Thmpson's "Field Guide to the War in Zululand and the Defence of Natal 1879".

Bill

Subject: Fort Northampton. Sun Sep 09, 2012 2:53 pm

Hi Bill.

Do you know, I had this feeling when I was writing 'Caldwel' that I had got it wrong, I should have checked up on the spelling first, my bad I'm afraid, I suppose everyone knew who I meant, but thanks for the correction. Perhaps we should call them the Childers reforms, as it was he who undertook them when he was secretary of state for war, and they were a continuation of the earlier Cardwell reforms.

I don't have the book you mention so I can't look at the diagram of it, maybe if you send a scan of it to Pete (admin), he could perhaps post it up on the forum, it would be good to have a look at Fort Warwick.

Thanks Bill.

Martin.

Subject: Fort Nottingham. Thu Sep 13, 2012 3:26 pm

Hi Bill.

Don't know if you had the chance to read my post above, but would it be possible for you to scan the diagram that you mentioned of Fort Warwick, and ask Pete to post it up on the forum?

Martin.

Posts : 225 Join date : 2011-09-19

Hi Martin

Sorry - despite the "Fair Use" statement on this site, I have a personal reluctance to scan copyrighted material for general use. I will therefore have to leave it to others to do.

Bill

Subject: Fort Nottingham. Thu Sep 13, 2012 3:53 pm

Yes, ok Bill, I understand. Maybe someone else has the book and could post up the diagram.

Martin.

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