T. Brooker

T. Brooker was a soldier serving with the North Lincolnshire Regiment of Foot when the Regiment was posted to the Eastern Frontier of the Cape Colony between 1860 and 1863, shortly after the Xhosa cattle-killing movement and famine (1857-1858). He came to the Cape Colony as a Private soldier. At first, the Regiment was posted to Grahamstown but was later transferred to Keiskama Hoek (Keiskammahoek) in 1862.

Private Brooker acted in 20 productions during his three-year stay on the Eastern Frontier.

T. Brooker was a member of the Dramatic Club which was called the Band of Amateurs

(North Lincoln Sphinx, Vol 1, No 14, Keiskama Hoek, December 10, 1862, page 270.)

Contribution to SA theatre

July 9 & 16, 1860: Acted in the Amateurs of the Band's production of The Corsican Brothers. (Le Baron de Montgiron) & (Gaetano Orlando).

(North Lincoln Sphinx, Vol 1, No 2, Grahamstown, September 15, 1860, page 15.)

July 21, 26 & 27, and August 3, 1860: Acted in the Amateurs of the Band's production of The Wandering Minstrel (Jem Baggs).

(North Lincoln Sphinx, Vol 1, No 2, Grahamstown, September 15, 1860, page 16.)

July 30 and August 1, 1860: Starred in the Corps Dramatique Amateurs of the Band two-act "comediatta" (sic) (probably commedia dell’arte, which, according to the Concise Oxford Dictionary, is an improvised kind of popular comedy in Italian theatres in the 16th – 18th centuries and is based on stock characters.) production of The Review, or The Wags of Windsor. (John Lump).

(North Lincoln Sphinx, Vol 1, No 2, Grahamstown, September 15, 1860, page 17.)

July 30 and August 1, 1860: Acted in the Amateurs of the Band produced farce, The Irish Tutor. (Dr Flail, a schoolmaster).

(North Lincoln Sphinx, Vol 1, No 2, Grahamstown, September 15, 1860, page 17.)

August 20th and 22nd, 1860: Acted in the three-act play produced by the Amateurs of the Band, The Iron Chest. (Samson Rawbold, Gilbert Rawbold’s son).

(North Lincoln Sphinx, Vol 1, No 2, Grahamstown, September 15, 1860, page 17.)

November 26, 1860: Acted in the Amateurs of the Band production of The British Volunteers. (Alfred Charles Mutton, a policeman)

(North Lincoln Sphinx, Vol 1, No 4, Christmas, 1860. Page 47.)

October 14 & November 4, 1861: Acted in the Amateurs of the Band production of John Maddison Morton’s one-act farce, Slasher and Crasher. (Mr Christopher Crasher).

(North Lincoln Sphinx, Vol 1, No 9, November 13, 1861. Page 125.)