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Auction: 22066 - Historical Documents, Postal History & Autographs - Featuring the Robin Hunt Collection
Lot: 2017

Great Britain
Queen Victoria, Zulu War
1868 volume of "Leaves from the Journal of Our Life in the Highlands" inscribed and signed in the Queen's hand "To Colonel Evelyn Wood G.C.B. V.C. from Victoria R. Balmoral Sept. 11 1879". Some minor damage to binding and some light foxing to some pages otherwise fine and of great interest.

Notes: The volume was signed and given to Colonel Evelyn Wood by Her Majesty Queen Victoria on 11 September 1879 at Balmoral Castle. Both Wood and Major Redvers Buller were invited as guests of the monarch to spend time in the Highlands for Wood and Buller were two of the few British officers to have survived the Anglo-Zulu War of 1879 with their reputations enhanced. The Queen was keen to hear their views upon the recent conflict which had so gripped the nation and wanted to quiz the two men about the final battle of Ulundi and their thoughts on the events surrounding the disastrous British defeat at Isandlwana . As a result of the visit Wood and Victoria became firm friends and the friendship lasted until the Queen's death. Wood was even a pallbearer at the monarch's funeral.

Upon Wood's death in December 1919, one of his housemaids was allowed to take possession of one item from Wood's house, Rivenhall, near Harlow in Essex and she choose this book. It stayed in her family and was handed down through the generations. In 2007 a biography of Wood was published and the author was approached by the grandson of the housemaid to see if he wanted to purchase the book, which he duly did. It is thus the first time that it has come to auction.

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Sold for
£1,300

Starting price
£750