H.P. Holt’s The Mounted Police of Natal, Ex libris Killie Campbell (1913).

Provenance: The Killie Campbell Connection

While H.P. Holt’s The Mounted Police of Natal (1913) is a classic piece of Nataliana in its own right, the true historical magic of this specific copy lies on its front endpaper: the distinctive signature of Killie Campbell, dated 1942.

Who Was Killie Campbell?

Margaret Roach "Killie" Campbell (1881–1965) was one of South Africa’s most formidable and passionate collectors of Africana, cultural artifacts, and historical manuscripts.

The Collection: Over her lifetime, she built an unparalleled library documenting the history of Southeast Africa, Zulu culture, and the colonial history of Natal.

The Legacy: Her family home in Durban, Muckleneuk, along with her massive collection, was bequeathed to the University of Natal (now UKZN). Today, the Killie Campbell Africana Library is globally renowned as a premier research archive for Southern African history.

The Historical Context of the 1942 Acquisition

The date 1942 under her signature adds a fascinating layer of wartime history to this book's journey:

Wartime Collecting: During World War II, paper shortages and shipping disruptions made importing new books incredibly difficult. Consequently, Killie Campbell shifted much of her focus to hunting down older, rare local volumes and colonial histories through second-hand dealers, auctions, and estate sales right in South Africa.

The "Black-Out" Book Hunts: Killie was famous for her relentless pursuit of items even during the war years. She frequently corresponded with local booksellers, ensuring that unique pieces of Natal history didn't vanish or get destroyed during the turbulent wartime era.

The Content: A Frontier Record

The book itself, published by John Murray in London in 1913, serves as a vital chronicle of the Natal Mounted Police (NMP), established in 1874 by Major-General Sir John George Dartnell (who wrote the introduction).

The NMP was the first permanent, disciplined armed force in the colony, playing a pivotal frontline role in major historical conflicts, including:

The Anglo-Zulu War (1879) (including the disaster at Isandlwana)

The First Anglo-Boer War (1880–1881)

The Second Anglo-Boer War (1899–1902).

Complete. All plates present; end papers mellowed; some scattered foxing; stains on the boards.

155mm x 223mm x 45mm

R3,000