Richard Phillip "Dick" King, was born in 1813 in Chatham, England, and his family emigrated to the Albany District of the Cape Colony in 1820 as part of a settler program. In 1828 when Dick was fifteen years old, the Kings again relocated, this time to Port Natal. His first employment was as a wagon driver and he went on to become a trader himself at the colony of Port Natal.
Years later in 1842, the English annexed Port Natal, The Boers however, had already settle in the area, and had established the Boer Republic of Natalia, and were intent on expelling all British from the region. The tension between these two opposing forces eventually led to the Battle of Congella where the English suffered massive casualties, and the loss of their artillery.
Dick King heard of the siege at Port Natal, and by daybreak the next day was met by his sixteen year old servant Ndongeni who was waiting for him, ready with two fresh horses. From Port Natal, King and Ndongeni embarked on their 960 km epic horse ride to Grahamstown, where they were to request military reinforcement for the English.
After the first 200 miles of the journey, Ndongeni was forced to turn back as riding conditions were made difficult due to the fact that he had no saddle or bridle. Over a course of ten days he covered an average distance of 75 miles a day and crossed 120 rivers between Port Natal (Durban) and Grahamstown only stopping occasionally at mission stations along the route for rest.
An equestrian monument to Dick King and his horse Somerset, was erected on the corner of Gardiner street and Durban's Victoria embankment in 1915, and stands alongside such famous Durban memorials as the John Ross Statue and the Da Gama Clock.
