NEWS FROM THE CAMP

Charles Du Val, Charles Deecker, & Henri Ferdinand Gros

News from the Camp (Pretoria, 1880–1881)

Historic First Anglo‑Boer War Newspaper with Gros Photographic Inserts

A rare bound volume of News from the Camp, the wartime newspaper printed within the besieged British garrison at Pretoria during the First Anglo‑Boer War (1880–1881). Edited and produced by Charles Du Val, the flamboyant Irish entertainer, journalist, and actor, together with local printer Charles Deecker, using a small portable press.

The paper ran three times a week throughout the 102‑day siege, from December 1880 to April 1881, documenting daily life, military updates, and morale among the trapped British forces and loyalist civilians (Stellenbosch University - https://esat.sun.ac.za).

Following the war’s conclusion, a deluxe commemorative edition of 200 bound volumes was compiled, each interleaved with original photographs by Swiss photographer H. F. Gros, whose images remain central to the visual history of the Transvaal 

This example is neatly bound in a blue folder, containing 11 printed (reproduced) Gros photographs, and represents one of the few surviving copies of this historically significant publication.

Historical Context

During the siege, News from the Camp served as the garrison’s lifeline—its thrice‑weekly issues (approx. 500 copies per print run) circulated among soldiers and civilians confined within the camp. The complete series comprises 40 issues, chronicling the unfolding events of the war and the eventual peace agreement (Stellenbosch University - https://esat.sun.ac.za).

Provenance

By family record, the volume was likely presented by Gros to his friend George Jesse Heys (1852–1939), Pretoria entrepreneur and owner of Melrose House. Following municipal acquisition of Melrose House, the album and related ephemera were transferred to Tudor House on Church Square (Heys’ former offices) and later inherited by Heys’ great‑granddaughter (Personal communication between Hardijzer & Cowie, June 2026).

Henri Ferdinand Gros (Swiss, active 1869–c. 1890)

Gros worked across Burgersdorp, Bloemfontein, New Rush (Kimberley), and Pretoria, where he established the city’s first double‑storey photographic studio. His work documents the Zuid‑Afrikaansche Republiek, the First Anglo‑Boer War, and early Pretoria with technical mastery.

Photo‑historian Carol Hardijzer observes: “Without the Gros photographs, we would not have had an idea of what Pretoria looked like between 1875 and 1890.” (theheritageportal.co.za)

Rarity

Bound commemorative volumes of News from the Camp are rare, particularly those retaining Gros’ photographic inserts and early provenance. They represent a unique convergence of journalism, photography, and wartime documentation—an invaluable artefact of South Africa’s nineteenth‑century history.

Shipping

While its preservation within South Africa is preferred, international shipping can be arranged at the buyer’s expense. Collection remains the preferred option.