Two outstanding cabinet portraits of a member of the City Imperial Volunteers taken in April 1901 at Pretoria, South Africa during the later part of the Anglo-Boer War. Each is inscribed on the reverse "To Flo & Alf, with love from Selby". Initial attempts to fully identify this soldier were unsuccessful.

 

Thanks to members of the soldiersofthequeen.com Facebook group this man has been tentatively identified as No. 1136 Trooper Selby Croxon of No. 1 Company,  City Imperial Volunteers Mounted Infantry.

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Croxon was born about 1877 in Burnham, Essex the son of Alfred and Mary Croxon. Before the Anglo-Boer War Selby was active with the 13th Middlesex (Queen's Westminster) Rifle Volunteers and probably transferred directly into the CIV when they were organized.

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During the war, Croxon also served with the provisional Transvaal Constabulary (23 September 1900 - 5 May 1901) and with C Division of the South African Constabulary. He was entitled to the Queen's South Africa Medal with the following clasps: "Paardeberg", "Dreifonteim",  "Johannesberg",  "Wittebergen",  and "Cape Colony".

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Selby settled in South Africa after the war eventually taking up residence in Barberton, Eastern Transvaal. In 1908 he established an automotive sales and repair business in Barberton known as Croxon's Garage. He ran the enterprise until his death in 1938. The Croxon family is still involved in South African automotive sales today.

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On 10 December 1902 Selby Croxon married Margaret Ellen Smith of Cape Town at Barberton. The couple had at least four children: Sheila Aynesley (b. 1903), Ronald Aynesley (b. 1905), Dudley Aynesley (b. 1909), and Selbey Aynesley (b. 1913).

 

 

Cabinet Photographs
James Lamb - Photographer
Pretoria, South Africa
April 1901