J. Durney

Private J. Durney 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. At first, the Regiment was posted to Grahamstown but was later transferred to Keiskama Hoek (Keiskammahoek) in 1862.

Private J. Durney acted in 24 productions during his stay at the Eastern Frontier of which two were with the Officers of the Regiment, four were with the Sergeant’s Dramatic Club, and 18 were with the Amateurs of the Band.

Private J. Durney was a member of the section of the Dramatic Club known as the Amateurs of the Band and played two male roles as well as 22 female roles. He was a young boy who participated in the under 16 years age group for the 100 yards dash during the games organised in Grahamstown to celebrate the Queen’s birthday in 1860.

(North Lincoln Sphinx, Vol 1, No 1, Grahamstown, page 6.)

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

Contribution to SA theatre

July 9 & 16, 1860: Played in the Band of Amateurs production of The Corsican Brothers. (Marie, a domestic).

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

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

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

July 30 and August 1, 1860: Starred in the Corps Dramatique (Band of Amateurs) 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. (Lucy).

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

July 30 and August 1, 1860: Starred in the Band of Amateurs produced farce, The Irish Tutor. (Mary, Rosa's maid).

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

August 20th and 22nd, 1860: Starred in the three-act play produced by the Band of Amateurs, The Iron Chest. (Blanche).

(North Lincoln Sphinx, Vol 1, No 2, Grahamstown, September 15, 1860, page 18.)

September 20 1860: Acted in the Band of Amateurs produced one-act farce, The Dead Shot. (Chatter, Louisa Lovetrick’s maid).

(North Lincoln Sphinx, Vol 1, No 3, Grahamstown, November 1, 1860, page 30.)

October 8, 1860: Acted in the Officers of the Regiment's first performance of Sheridan's five-act comedy, The Rivals. (Julia's maid).

(North Lincoln Sphinx, Vol 1, No 3, Grahamstown, November 1, 1860, page 30.)

November 26, 1860: Acted in the Amateurs of the Band production of The British Volunteers. (Mary).

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

April 5, 11 & 19, 1861: Acted {under the stage name of Miss Durney } in the Officers of the Regiment second play, Stirling Coyne's one-act farce, Urgent Private Affairs, (Sally Vokins).

(North Lincoln Sphinx, Vol 1, No 6, April 25, 1861. Page 75.)

May 27, 1861: Acted in the Sergeant’s Dramatic Club two-act drama production of Talfourd’s of Macbeth Travestie. (Gentlewoman).

(North Lincoln Sphinx, Vol 1, No 7, June13, 1861. Page 92.)

May 27, 1861: Acted in the Sergeant’s Dramatic Club production of John Dobbs. (Lucy).

(North Lincoln Sphinx, Vol 1, No 7, June13, 1861. Page 92.)

June 13 & 17, 1861: Acted in the Sergeant’s Dramatic Club three-act romantic drama, adapted from Walter Scott’s poem, The Lady of the Lake. (Mattie, the bride).

(North Lincoln Sphinx, Vol 1, No 8, September 30, 1861. Page 108.)

June 13 & 17, 1861: Acted in the Sergeant’s Dramatic Club production of W. Blanchard Jerrold's one-act farce, Cool as a Cucumber. (Wiggins).

(North Lincoln Sphinx, Vol 1, No 8, September 30, 1861. Page 108.)

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

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

(North Lincoln Sphinx, Vol 1, No 4, Christmas Supplement, 1860. Page 51.)

November 4, 1861: Acted in the Amateurs of the Band production of Thomas J. Lynch's two-act drama, The Rose of Ettrick Vale or The Bridal of the Borders. (Jessie, sister and Bridesmaid to Laurette).

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

November 4, 1861: Acted in the Amateurs of the Band’s production of The Spectre Bridegroom, or A Ghost in Spite of Himself. (Lavinia, Georgiana Alswinkle's cousin).

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

February 17, 1862: Acted in the Amateurs of the Band production of J. M. Morton’s one-act farce, Poor Pillicoddy. (Sarah Blunt).

(North Lincoln Sphinx, Vol 1, No 12, February 28, 1862, page 179.)

February 17, 1862: Acted in the Amateurs of the Band production of The Omnibus or A Convenient Distance. (Julia Ledger).

(North Lincoln Sphinx, Vol 1, No 12, February 28, 1862, page 179/180.)

May 28, 1862: Acted in the Amateurs of the Band production of a one-act farce, The Omnibus or A Convenient Distance, (Julia Ledger).