THE NICHOLSON DIARIES An Anglo-Boer War Gem

This paper on the Nicholson Diaries will discuss a remarkable record of the Anglo-Boer War, one that begins in September 1899 and continues through several years of war, on a daily basis, to conclude in July 1902. This account will place this story in the context of research and collecting within the Museums in Action conference theme. The Nicholson family history will be detailed and the story of the diaries will be noted in the context of the diary historiography of the Anglo-Boer War in Natal. The story of the diary itself will be told, from its composition during the Anglo-Boer War through the process of transcribing and editing, and on to the proposed publication in book form in 2010. The bulk of the paper will comprise extracts from the diary entries so as to illustrate aspects of the chronicle that place this document at the forefront of records of the war in Natal. Hopefully military history and Museology will meet in an exciting and informative manner. The Nicholson Diaries will, it is suggested, emerge as a true treasure of knowledge that will be added to the nation's military history knowledge base.