KITCHENER of KHARTOUM

Printed at bottom of card-mount:-
WOVEN IN PURE SILK BY T. STEVENS, COVENTRY. 
 
 

silk:
10.5cm high by 5.9cm wide

by Godden:
Strangely, we have two military figures named Kitchener - both linked with the battle for Khartoum.

Firstly, there is Sir Frederick Walter Kitchener, K.C.B., who was born in 1858 and died on 6 March 1912. He served in the Afghan War of 1878-1900 and also, with distinction, in the South African War, 1899-1902. He had earlier served at Khartoum.

Secondly, and more importantly, we have Horatio Herbert Kitchener (depicted on the Stevens silk portraits), the first Earl Kitchener of Khartoum, who was born on 24 June 1850.
He passed out at the Royal Military Academy in December 1870, and was commissioned in the Royal Engineers in 1871. In 1874 he was sent to Palestine.
He was to remain in the Mediterranean area for many years, and his exploits there read like an adventure novel. He served for a period in the Egyptian army and sent home the first authoritative report on General Gordon's death at Khartoum in January 1885. He was Governor-General of Eastern Sudan from 1886 to 1888.
In 1896, during the River War, he was promoted to Major-General. Khartoum was retaken in September 1898 - a success which led to the complete reconquest of the Sudan.
On his return home, in 1898, he was made Baron Kitchener of Khartoum, receiving the thanks of Parliament (with a grant of £30,000) and of the nation as a whole.
Kitchener was Chief of Staff to Lord Roberts during the early years of the Boer War and became Commander-in-Chief before the war was successfully concluded in May 1902. For service in South Africa, he received a viscounty and a grant of £50,000.
Lord Kitchener was subsequently Commander-in-Chief in London, but he is perhaps best known for the famous First World War poster, 'Your Country Needs You', which successfully implored Britain's manhood to join the colours.
He died at sea in June 1916 while on a voyage to Russia in H.M.S. Hampshire, which sank with great loss of life after striking a mine.

The portrait silk was registered at the Patent Office on 7 April 1900, and the registration number 355800 is often woven in the bottom right-hand corner of the silk, below the signature 'Kitchener of Khartoum' - though on some examples this number was omitted.
The title LORD KITCHENER was first listed on label 31+32.

At least two versions were made, the first, the image above, and most commonly found, showing Kitchener with a large moustache, extending on the left side past the cheek; with eyes open; and a good head of hair shown with a clear parting.
This portrait would appear to have been taken from a photograph by A. Bassano of Old Bond Street, London, which was reproduced in the first issue of The Sphere magazine of 27 January 1900. 

The second version is shown as so348 on this site.

Other comments:
Two images are shown above. The left hand version having the woven registration number, 355800 of 7 April 1900, whilst the image on the right does not have this number.