rorkesdriftvc.com Forum Index


rorkesdriftvc.com
Discussions related to the Anglo-Zulu War of 1879
Reply to topic
Knight's "THERE'LL BE AN AWFUL ROW ABOUT THIS AT HOME&q
brianjenglish


Joined: 26 Sep 2013
Posts: 1
Location: Roswell, GA USA
Reply with quote
Gents.

Just came across an Ian Knight title that I'd never heard of before -- "There'll Be and Awful Row About This at Home." Not sure what the specific topic of this book is, but I cannot seem to find it anywhere -- must be long out of print.

Can anyone tell me if it's worth trying to track this title down?

Thanks
Brian
View user's profileSend private message
peterw


Joined: 30 Aug 2005
Posts: 865
Location: UK
Reply with quote
Brian

I don't have this so can't be of too much help. I note that the book was published in 1979 and there has been an awful lot of new material since then. If the book does contain some unique articles or insights, and is affordable, it might be worth acquiring.

Hopefully someone can answer who does have this on their shelves!

Peter
View user's profileSend private message
Peter Ewart


Joined: 31 Aug 2005
Posts: 1797
Location: Near Canterbury, Kent, England.
Reply with quote
I'd always thought it was a 1980s publication and have just checked. The booklet appeared in 1987 and was edited by Ian on behalf of the Victorian Military Society, its publisher. It contained a number of new essays reflecting the then current understanding of various aspects of the AZW by some scholars, David Jackson contributing an article on the 24th, for example.

I still don't have a copy but suspect some of these articles were breaking new ground at the time. I believe the Zulu War Research Group in the VMS might have been responsible but am open to correction there. It is included quite regularly - or used to be - in bibliographies of various published works on the war, especially those by Ian.

Peter
View user's profileSend private messageSend e-mail
Keith Smith


Joined: 30 Aug 2005
Posts: 540
Location: Northern NSW, Australia
Reply with quote
I have had a copy of this little gem for a number of years. It is a soft-covered publication in magazine format, of only 45 pages. It was published in 1987 by the Zulu Study Group, of which Ian Knight was then the head honcho, of the VMS.

It contains a number of papers which were then quite new, some of which are perhaps a litttle dated now. It is a work that is rather hard to find today.

KIS
View user's profileSend private message
peterw


Joined: 30 Aug 2005
Posts: 865
Location: UK
Reply with quote
Does anyone know what is the difference between the 1987 and 1979 edition?
http://trove.nla.gov.au/work/18076691?q&versionId=21216251

Peter
View user's profileSend private message
Peter Ewart


Joined: 31 Aug 2005
Posts: 1797
Location: Near Canterbury, Kent, England.
Reply with quote
Aha! Good spot, Peter. Yes, of course. David Langley, the co-author/editor of that 1979 edition is a member of this forum (since 2012, not sure how often he calls by, but I believe he did mention in passing his role in that publication) and an active member of the VWF under a different screen name.

Presumably it was revamped in '87 under Ian's editorship? It is the later version which is usually cited in published bibliographies.

Peter
View user's profileSend private messageSend e-mail
peterw


Joined: 30 Aug 2005
Posts: 865
Location: UK
Reply with quote
I've just been told that the 1979 version featured additional articles by John Laband and Paul Thompson and improved specification for the printing.

Peter
View user's profileSend private message
Peter Ewart


Joined: 31 Aug 2005
Posts: 1797
Location: Near Canterbury, Kent, England.
Reply with quote
Beat me to it, Peter! (Had followed up the same idea). As Keith says, I'd expect it to be very scarce now. If some ancient VMS member pops their clogs & a complete set of SOTQ is discovered, it might be that a copy is found tucked away in those back numbers & comes onto the market.

Otherwise, a long wait is in store I suspect.

P.
View user's profileSend private messageSend e-mail
Rusteze


Joined: 05 Oct 2009
Posts: 56
Location: Hampshire UK
Reply with quote
There are a couple of copies of the 87 edition on ABE.



Steve

_________________
Rusteze
View user's profileSend private message
Peter Ewart


Joined: 31 Aug 2005
Posts: 1797
Location: Near Canterbury, Kent, England.
Reply with quote
Rusteze

So there are. One of the two is also on eBay, where a chap over there is releasing his entire AZW library by the look of it. Anyone we know? Or exors of? (Florida). Serious collector, as there are one or to scarce items, although some look over-priced. Full sets of Archives of Zululand come up very seldom - this one is at a discount but still a lot more than I paid for my set. The Wolseley & Chelmsford items are still not in my library but the latter, at least, looks a bit on the high side.

The contributors to Awful Row would, I'd have thought, all have developed their essays into later published works, particularly Laband, Thompson, Jackson and, of course, Ian.

Peter
View user's profileSend private messageSend e-mail
Mark Hobson


Joined: 18 Sep 2005
Posts: 106
Location: Halifax
Reply with quote
Certainly worth tracking down a copy if only because of its rarity value. Some of the articles also appeared in the Journals of the South African Military History Society. These can be viewed/downloaded/printed for free via their website. Click on the Military History Journal link to get full texts from most of their articles from the past 40 years. Names of contributors from the past include Chadwick, SB Bourquin, Ken Gillings, DD Hall.

Mark Hobson
View user's profileSend private message
AMB


Joined: 07 Oct 2005
Posts: 921
Reply with quote
Awful Row. An interesting collection to have in one's library, even if just for the Chadwick and SBB. Found my copy many years ago and well worth the price.

Archives of Zululand. Great set. The huge prices now being asked by dealers selling sets does not surprise me. Happily, I managed to get in at the start.

AMB
View user's profileSend private message
Peter Ewart


Joined: 31 Aug 2005
Posts: 1797
Location: Near Canterbury, Kent, England.
Reply with quote
Andrew

I believe the publication price was �900, wasn't it? I've seen the odd set (very, very few come up, as you know) advertised for about �1000 during the last few years, which is not a great appreciation in price in about a decade, although these prices are often not fetched, as values are falling generally these days.

I didn't acquire my set when it was first published but managed to get hold of all 6 vols in one go a few years later for a fraction of the publication price - certainly under half, possibly a quarter. And in mint condition too, apart from a bit of a smokey smell which seems to have gone now.

Yes, a great set.

Peter
View user's profileSend private messageSend e-mail
Sawubona


Joined: 09 Nov 2005
Posts: 1179
Reply with quote
And let's not overlook the most prominent name on the cover pictured above! It was 1987 after all. Lo, how the mighty have fallen...
View user's profileSend private message
AMB


Joined: 07 Oct 2005
Posts: 921
Reply with quote
Peter,

As you can probably see, I was one of the original subscribers. Was there 16? (I'm o/seas, so can't check)

Again, from memory; I think we each paid �450. I think �900 was to be the cover price for the sets.

Originally four volumes were planned, but the publisher and Ian decided that some further documents needed to be added [and Ceteway's Dutchman - for some odd reason (to me, at least); the book already available as Greenhill had published it in the early 1990s].

AMB
View user's profileSend private message
Knight's "THERE'LL BE AN AWFUL ROW ABOUT THIS AT HOME&q
You cannot post new topics in this forum
You cannot reply to topics in this forum
You cannot edit your posts in this forum
You cannot delete your posts in this forum
You cannot vote in polls in this forum
All times are GMT  
Page 1 of 3  

  
  
 Reply to topic