The Greyhound in Durban

A handsome young man poses causally with his Greyhound. The man's right hand rests lightly on the top of the dog's heads so to steady it for the exposure of the photograph.

The dog's eyes look exactly as described in Stonhedge's 1872 book The Dogs of the British Islands  - "full and bright, giving the idea of high spirits and animation."

The photograph was taken by photographers Kermode & Murray in the 1870's at their "Portrait Salon" in Durban's Port Natal. Natal was a colony located in the South East corner of Africa. In the Christmas of 1497 it had been discovered by the Portugese. Natal means Christmas in Portugese.

Natal was known for having the "best soil outside of Cape Colony". This attracted a group of 25 British settlers under British Lieutenant F. G. Farewell in the early 1800's, and they established a settlement on the northern shore of the Bay of Natal, near today's Farewell Square.

Members of the settlement were able to administer medical aid to the powerful and influential Zulu chief Shaka after he'd been injured in a battle, they were justly rewarded. As a token of gratitude, he granted the tiny settlement a "25-mile strip of coast a hundred miles in depth."

 1824 European artist's impression of Shaka with a long throwing assegai and heavy shield. 

No drawings from life are known

This map from 1885 shows Port Natal and Durban (or D'Urban as it was known then) which I have highlighted with a red circle (click on the image for a larger view):

The next map is from 1898 and shows just Port Natal. I have added a red dot to show the exact location of the Kermode & Murray Studio (click on the image for a larger view):

 The reverse of the mount featuring the motto of the British Monarch Dieu et Mon Droit - 

"God and my right shall me defend."

Sources:

• Maps of Durban & Port Natal in the Victorian British Empire
• Shaka the Zula on Wikipedia
• List of Photographers of 19th Century South Africa
• Dogs of the British Islands, Edited by Stonehenge, 1872

The Italian Greyhound of Aberdeen

The owner of this Italian Greyhound holds gently onto one of the dogs ears, presumably to steady it for the exposure time of the photograph.

The Italian greyhound is an ancient breed, believed to be at least 2000 years old. There are many authorities on the breed's history believe the breed was dwarfed for pet purposes from a Gazehound (hounds who hunted by "sight") of the distant past.

The Italian Greyhound was very popular with royalty, some notable Italian Greyhound owners were Mary Queen of Scots, Charles I, Queen Anne and Queen Victoria. The exact date that the breed was introduced in England is not known, but by the Late-Victorian period the popularity of the breed reached a peak.

In 1872 Reverend Pearce wrote in his book "The Dog", "This toy dog, the most elegant, but alas! The most delicate of the small breeds, has existed from time immemorial and has always been in fashion. There is no doubt that it is simply a small specimen of the larger dog, refined and dwarfed by inbreeding and selection, and first introduced from Italy and the South of France, where they are more abundant, but not light, graceful or refined as those which are occasionally exhibited in England."

The photographer who took this image was James Wood. He was resident as a photographer at 25 Market Street, Aberdeen from 1862 to 1868, so we can date this photograph within these dates.

If you'd like to find out more about this breed I recommend Karen Thayne's excellent website: Italian-greyhound.net