Frances Colenso

Frances Colenso or Frances Ellen Colenso (30 May, 1849 – 28 April, 1887) was an English historian of the Zulu Wars.

Life

Colenso was born in Forncett in Norfolk in 1849. Her father was John Colenso and her mother was Frances Colenso. She was educated at the John Ruskin inspired Winnington Hall until 1864 before attending the Slade School of Art. She wrote and aspired to be an artist.

Lt Colonel Anthony Durnford was stationed at Pietermaritzburg in 1873 where he was befriended by her father. Durnford had a close relationship with Colenso. His poor marriage was extant so that meant that they only close friends. However Ellen was to write a book later in support of his military reputation.

Bishop Colenso, Frances's father, died in June 1883 and her elder sister Harriet became the de facto head of the family. Frances published two books on the Zulus and the British (History of the Zulu War and Its Origin in 1880 and The Ruin of Zululand in 1885) that explained events in Zululand from a pro-Zulu perspective. The books were not popular and Harriet is thought to have had a guiding hand in their production.

Colenso died in Ventnor, possibly of a heart attack.