She mounted a chair and sang God Save the Queen

Kimberley Club,

Kimberley.

June 27th 1898

My dear Raymond and Joe

Your two very nice letters reached me on Saturday. I accept your excuses for missing the previous mail. I have been so busy this week that I was not able to write until this evening. You can judge how hurried I am in writing this letter when I tell you the clock has just struck half past eleven (at night). All the Kimberley schools will close in a few days for the winter holidays.


Madame Albani the great singer was in Kimberley last week. On Saturday afternoon she visited the compound and I had the honour of piloting her round.

Madame Albani

I got up a grand show for her in the way of dances & singing. She was tremendously taken with Big Jim Zulu, and shook hands with him when she said good bye. Jim was a proud Zulu on that day. They knew she was a very grand personage and a great friend of the Queen's. I told them that, before she came. The Zulus turned out in splendid form - beautifully dressed in war costume with their shields etc. Before leaving the Compound she mounted a chair and sang God Save the Queen for all the boys in the Compound. Quowk! you should have heard the applause. I wonder if you did hear it at Seafield. It was loud enough.

Madame Albani was photographed with a group of Zulus, and she was as proud of the situation as they were. She told me the Compound was the most wonderful and interesting sight she had ever seen during her life. She sas she will tell the Queen all about it.

She was specially delighted with the singing of my choir and and praised them very much. They went off beaming with pride and happiness.

I hope you are quite well my dear boys.

Mr. Roper asked me to give him all the information I could about Seafield. So I sent him the papers Sir Edmund sent to me. I fancy he will send Harold there. God bless you my dear boys. Kind regards to Sir Edmund & Mr. Milne and forgive this shabby letter between two.

Your loving father
Frank Mandy