Frederick Roberts. Field Marshal and Commander of British in Boer War. RARE SIGNED early photograph.

The photograph is hand signed and dated "Fred Roberts,  23rd Feby. 1881."

Frederick Roberts, 1st Earl Roberts ( 1832 -1914) was at this date in South Africa, about to take up a new position as Governor of Natal and Commander-in- Chief of the Transvaal Province and High Commissioner for South Eastern Africa, with effect from 7 March 1881, two weeks later.

He had just finisihed serving with distinction in Afghanistan, completing his mission to occupy Kabul, He was not in his South African position long,  leaving to become Commander-in-Chief at Madras, India and eventually Commander-in-Chief of the entire Indian Army.

He was without doubt a brilliant general and loved by his men.

On 23 December 1899, some 18 years later, he returned to South Africa as Lord Roberts ( "Bobs" to his soldiers and the public ) to take overall command of British forces in the Second Boer War.  His own son was killed in the conflict but eventually he ruthlessly triumphed over the Boers after some battle victories but also by using  win-at-all-costs controversial strategies and scorched earth warfare,  interning women and children in camps with high mortality rates and burning Boer farms.

Original cabinet card photograph by Maull and Fox of London . Maull and Fox were in partnership from 1879 to 1885 which fits with the signed date in the picture by Roberts.

This photograph was later framed and stuck into an archway mount by the "S.A. Fine Art Framing Co. , Woolf Bros, Proprietors" of 134 , Adderley Street Cape Town, back when Cape Town still had 4 digit phone numbers (probably pre 1930, possibly much earlier) . There is a hand signed inscription on the back of the photograph  as follows " Mrs. Quinant./ Daniel Michael Quinant/  from Mary Erskine". One could presume that Mary Erskine was the original possessor of the photograph. His use of the name "Fred Roberts" in the photograph shows a level of familiarity.

Photograph in archway mount measures 18 cm by  9 cm. Frame is 18 cm by 27.5 cm. 

The photograph has two small rubbed areas  at the base away from the figure of Roberts and his boots, but is otherwise in very good condition.  The mount and wooden frame are in excellent condition.