Natalie Harris Hammond

Born in the 19th century and remembered as Natalie Harris Hammond, she is best known for A Woman’s Part in a Revolution, a memoir-like account drawn from her experiences in South Africa during the crisis surrounding the Jameson Raid. The book was also published under the name Mrs. John Hays Hammond, reflecting the way women writers were often identified in print at the time.

Hammond was connected to the mining engineer John Hays Hammond, and her writing grew out of the political and social world that surrounded his work in the Transvaal. Rather than offering a distant summary, she wrote from lived experience, giving readers a personal view of unrest, fear, and daily life during a turbulent period.

Though not a widely known literary figure today, her work remains valuable for its firsthand perspective. Readers interested in imperial politics, the Boer War era, or women’s eyewitness writing may find her especially compelling.