Boer War – Autograph Letter Signed – “Walter S. Barttelot” – to Hamilton, Stopham House, Pulborough – 25 February 1900

Single-page autograph letter signed, written on headed stationery of Stopham House, Pulborough, Sussex. One folded sheet, written on three pages. 11.2 × 17.7 cm.

An excellent Boer War autograph letter of Lieutenant-Colonel Walter Somerset Barttelot, written immediately prior to his departure for active service in South Africa during the Second Boer War. The letter provides a contemporary account of preparations for embarkation and captures a moment of mobilisation at the height of Britain’s military commitment to the conflict.

Writing from the Barttelot family seat at Stopham House on 25 February 1900, Barttelot thanks the recipient for his good wishes and refers directly to his impending departure:

“Thank you very much for your kind letter & telegram and good wishes on our going to the war in South Africa.”

He continues by expressing gratitude for messages received from Midhurst and remarks upon the farewell given to local volunteers before discussing the uncertainty surrounding his departure date:

“I don’t know when we sail but fear not before the 10th when we should go on the Tintagel Castle from Southampton.”

The reference to the RMS Tintagel Castle is of particular interest. One of the Union-Castle Line vessels employed in transporting troops and personnel to South Africa during the Boer War, the ship formed part of the vast logistical network required to sustain British military operations overseas. The mention firmly anchors the letter within the mobilisation phase of the war and transforms what might otherwise be a routine personal communication into a document directly connected with Britain’s South African campaign.

Barttelot further notes:

“Harrison at Chichester is to take charge of the Company during my absence.”

This brief remark offers a glimpse into the practical arrangements being made as officers departed for overseas service, while also highlighting the continuing importance of local military organisation in Sussex during the conflict.

Lieutenant-Colonel Walter Somerset Barttelot was a member of one of Sussex’s most prominent military and political families. He served with the Royal Sussex Regiment and commanded the 3rd (Royal Sussex Militia) Battalion. Deeply involved in county military affairs, he was among the Sussex officers who volunteered for service during the Boer War. His departure for South Africa occurred during one of the most critical phases of the conflict, following the British setbacks of 1899 and the subsequent reinforcement of imperial forces.

Barttelot did not long survive the war. He died in South Africa later in 1900, giving the present letter an added poignancy as a document written only months before his death. As such, it belongs to that particularly evocative category of military correspondence composed immediately before embarkation for active service.

The recipient, Hamilton, was evidently a friend or acquaintance of the writer and appears to have been connected with the Midhurst area. Barttelot’s references to messages from Midhurst and to local volunteers suggest that the correspondence arose from the strong network of county and military relationships that characterised Sussex society at the turn of the twentieth century.

Letters of Barttelot are uncommon, particularly those written during the Boer War and directly referring to departure for South Africa. The combination of a named troopship, references to volunteers and mobilisation, and the association with a Sussex military family considerably enhances the historical interest of the document.

We have not traced any institutional record of this specific letter. Apparently unrecorded.

Condition: Folded for posting, with light creasing and minor handling wear. A clean and attractive letter with strong ink and excellent legibility. Near fine condition overall.

A highly desirable Boer War autograph letter, written on the eve of departure for South Africa and specifically mentioning embarkation aboard the Tintagel Castle, offering a vivid snapshot of military mobilisation in Sussex at the turn of the twentieth century.

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