The Lizzie Van Zyl Photograph

From The Arthur Conan Doyle Encyclopedia

The Lizzie Van Zyl Photograph is a letter written by Arthur Conan Doyle first published in The Daily Chronicle on 1 february 1902.


The Lizzie Van Zyl Photograph

Sir, — I observe that Miss Hobhouse, in a letter to the Daily Chronicle, throws doubt upon my statement that the child, Lizzie Van Zyl, was the victim of her own mother, rather than of the British authorities. She will find the fact stated in to-day's Press by Nurse Kennedy, who was present. I had already heard it from two other sources.

Miss Hobhouse deplores in passionate language that such matters should be referred to in such a pamphlet as mine. I leave this to the sense of justice of your readers. The Boer children and their treatment in the camps have been the favourite weapon of the anti-national party. If I had not referred to them in my pamphlet it would naturally have been said that I had no answer to make to these charges.

Yours faithfully,

A. CONAN DOYLE
Undershaw, Hindhead, Haslemere, Jan. 31