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Diversions in a Tented Field DIVERSIONS IN A TENTED FIELD Theatricality and the images and perceptions of warfare in Sydney entertainments, 1879-1902 by Ailsa McPherson A thesis submitted in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy School of Theatre, Film and Dance University of New South Wales. October, 2001. Two vol ume s : vol . 1 . `Some seek diversion in the tented field, And make the sorrows of mankind their sport. But war’s a game, which, were their subjects wise, Kings would not play at’. The Poetical Works of William Cowper, ed. by H. S. Milford (London: Frowde, 1911), The Task V, `The Winter Morning Walk', p. 204. 1 ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS I should like to acknowledge my deep indebtedness to my supervisors, Associate Professor Jim Davis and Dr. M argaret Williams of the School of Theatre, Film and Dance at the University of New South Wales. This thesis could not have been written without the guidance, knowledge and insight, as well as the stimulating challenges, which they have brought to my endeavours. I am grateful also to Dr. John Golder, Dr. George Kouvaros and Mr. John M cCallum. They have been all unfailingly supportive and generous in their attitude. A special debt is owed to Professor Robert Jordan, for his interest in this work and for his role in opening my doors of the mind. My research has been aided and made pleasant by the efficiency and courtesy of the staff at the (now disbanded) audio-visual section of the library of Macquarie University. I also extend my gratitude to the staff of the State Library of New South Wales, both in the general reference section and in the Mitchell collection; the Archives Office of New South Wales; the archives of the Council of the City of Sydney; the archives of the Australian War Memorial; and those of the libraries of the University of New South Wales, Sydney University and the National Library of Australia. Lastly I am indebted to my valued friends who, with kindness, perception, humour and tolerance, have supported me throughout this project. 2 TABLE OF CONTENTS Volume Page Introduction 1 8 Chapter 1. Displaying 1 35 Part 1: The Encampments 1 36 Part 2: The Sham Fights 1 87 Chapter 2. Committing 1 149 Chapter 3. Informing 1 243 Chapter 4. Accommodating 2 361 Chapter 5. Desiring 2 482 Conclusion 2 596 Chronology 2 602 Maps 2 606 Tables and Appendices 2 609 Appendix A: Songwriters 2 612 Appendix B: Lyrics 2 618 Appendix C: Poems 2 646 Appendix D: Plays 2 650 Bibliography 2 658 3 ILLUSTRATIONS AND MAPS Volume Page 1. Montage view of the Easter Encampment, 1885 1 79 2. Torpedo experiments at Middle Head, 1880 1 80 3. Visitors to the encampment, c 1890 1 81 4. The Bulletin's solution for objections raised to the Commissariat arrangements at the encampment, 1898 1 82 5. Impressions of the annual encampments i. `The Encampment Specimen' ii. `After mess, sentry, what do you mean by appearing on duty with so many heads. Most unsatisfactory' 1 83 6. Press perceptions of civilian visitors to the encampments i. `Civilians are not allowed to pass the line' ii. `Visiting days in camp' 1 84 iii. `Visitors to the camp kitchen' and `Feminine Curiosity' iv. `Some of the Lady Applicants for positions on the Head Quarters (sic) Staff' 1 85 7. `Waking the Commander, 10.20 a.m.' 1 86 8. Sham fight at La Perouse, with the defenders of the bridge in action, Easter 1888 1 141 9. `The Battle of Double Bay' 1880, with spectators 1 142 10. Sham fight at Middle Head, 1888 i. The landing of the Naval Brigade ii. `The repulse of the invaders' 1 143 11. `The Naval and Military Demonstration on Easter Monday, [1885]. View from Hornby Light' 1 144 12. Impressions of the sham fight at South Head, Easter 1885 1 145 4 Volume Page 13. Spectators boarding craft at Circular Quay to watch the naval sham fight, 12 April 1881 1 146 14. Montage of the naval sham fight, 12 April 1881 1 147 15. The Fort used for the sham fight presented by with the Indian contingent at the celebrations for Federation 1 148 16. `The N.S.W. Mouse and the Lion'. The Bulletin's assessment of the value of the New South Wales contribution to the Soudan conflict 1 233 17. `A Birthday Offering'. A youthful New South Wales receives Bushmen citizen-soldiers, Anniversary Day 1900 1 234 18. The military review prior to the departure of the Soudan Contingent 1 235 19. `An Australian Bushman Off to the War' 1 236 20. `New South Wales Aids the Old Land'. The embarkation parade of the Soudan contingent, March 1885 1 237 21. The departure of the ships carrying the Soudan Contingent, 1885 1 238 22. The parade of the First Boer War Contingent at Victoria Barracks prior to their embarkation for South Africa 1 239 23. `One Man One Nurse'. The Bulletin's comment on the engagement of nurses with the Second Contingent for the Boer War 1 240 24. One interpretation of the anticipated role of the Bushmen in the Boer War 1 241 25. The statue of the Right Hon. W.B. Dalley, P.C. in Hyde Park, decorated at the departure of the First Boer War Contingent 1 242 26. George Augustus Sala, 1885 1 349 5 Volume Page 27. Archibald Forbes `the War Correspondent', 1882 1 350 28. `Mr. Frederic Villiers, The Famous War Correspondent' 1 351 29. An evocation of the lecturing style of Donald Macdonald 1 352 30. Frederic Villiers' sketch of his encounter in South Africa with British troops who mistook him for a Boer 1 353 31. `N.S.W. Lancers acting as mounted infantry, covering the retirement of the 9th Lancers at the Battle of Belmont, November 1899. Sketched by Frederic Villiers' 1 354 32. `Colonial Troops commandeering a Boer Dinner', drawn from a sketch by Frederic Villiers 1 355 33. Advertisement for W. H. Thompson's `Mirror of the Zulu war', 1880 1 356 34. `Recovery of the Colors (sic) of 24th Regiment, Zulu wars, 1879'. A sketch by Lieutenant Henry Harford 1 357 35. Part of Paul Philippoteaux's painting of Pickett's Charge displayed as the Gettysburg cyclorama 1 358 36. `Bombardment of Alexandria. Fort Pharos Fighting the Fleet (From a sketch made by our artist on the spot - the right spot - his studio)', Bulletin 1882. 1 359 37. G. H. Snazelle 1 360 38. Nelson Illingworth's sculpture of a `Trooper in the Mounted Rifles' titled `When the Empire Calls', 1899 2 475 39. Illustration on the sheet music of `To the Front' 2 476 40. Illustration on the sheet music of `Bushmen to the Front' 2 477 41. Certificate acknowledging a contribution to the N.S.W. Patriotic Fund, May 1900 2 478 42. A proposed solution to the problem of targeting during performances of `The Absent Minded Beggar' 2 479 43. Impressions of the pantomime Little Red Riding Hood, Jan. 1900 2 480 6 Volume Page 44. The building on which Rider Haggard was supposed to have based `Jess's Cottage, Pretoria, Transvaal' 2 481 45. Returned soldiers at `South Africa Day' March 1902 2 586 46. The Bulletin's suggestions for a colonial Soudan medal, 1885 2 587 47. `New South Wales and the Soudan - Presenting Medals from the Imperial Government', 1886 2 588 48. The Duke of York presenting medals for service in South Africa, Sydney 1901 2 589 49. Montage of the `Combined Public Schools Patriotic Display', June 1900 2 590 50. `The Massed Bands at the Queen's Statue … Mafeking Celebrations in Sydney', June 1900 2 591 51. `Ye Olde Englishe Fayre', Garden Palace, April 1882 2 592 52. The Bulletin's comment on the rumour that Archbishop Moran had objected to a fund-raising ball for the Sisters of Charity on moral grounds, 1885 2 593 53. The Australian Ambulance Association's Bazaar, Sydney Town Hall, 1900 2 594 54. Detail of the tableaux vivant `Britannia and Her Dependencies', Lyceum Theatre, July 1900 2 595 Map i. Egypt and the Soudan 2 606 Map. ii. Southern Africa during the Boer War 2 607 M ap. iii. Sydney: from Paddington to the harbour, 1889 2 608 7 INTRODUCTION 8 This thesis explores the theatricality which accompanied the establishment, development and deployment of the colonial army in New South Wales during the last two decades of the nineteenth century. It investigates the transplantation to the colony of the military ethos existing in nineteenth century Britain. It then inquires into the ways both public performances accompanying the British institutions, conventions and traditions, and those demonstrating colonial commitment to Imperial wars in the Soudan and South Africa, were reinterpreted by the colonists. 1 It will be argued that, through this process of reinterpretation, there was a defining of the differences between colonial and Imperial perceptions, rather than a reinforcement of their similarities. It is proposed that this evolved to reflect two colonial cultural concepts. These generally ran in parallel, though on occasion they were intersecting. One of these perceptions was the ideal of service to the Imperial power. The other was that of national identity as defined by the relationship with Britain. Accompanying these perceptions, was a strand of colonial irreverence and self-deprecation toward both concepts. The ceremonies accompanying formal military training and engagement acted as a symbolic focus for national perceptions and Imperial commitment. They were also an outlet for the expression of the colonists’ idealisation of both perceptions.
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