Silk created as part of ‘The Absent-Minded Beggar Fund’
The Green Howards Museum, Richmond
This square of silk reveals a curious story of patriotism at the very end of the 19th century.
It is believed that thousands were sold as part of a massive fundraising effort for the families of fighting British soldiers from 1899. The fund, known as the ‘Absent Minded Beggar Relief Corps’, raised about £250,000, a huge sum at the time.
There remains debate as to the most appropriate name for the wars which were fought, supported by this campaign. For the British at the time, they were known as the ‘Boer Wars’, though the term ‘Boer’ does not take into account the range of fighters involved. In what is now South Africa, the wars were considered to be ‘Wars of Independence’ from the British Empire.
Understanding the wars
Conflict took place between the British Empire and two republics – the Transvaal and the Orange Free State. After the discovery of diamonds near the confluence of the Orange and Vaal Rivers in 1867, British interests in the area had been renewed, leading to a proposal by the British Colonial Secretary, Lord Carnarvon, to form a confederation of South African states in 1875. The aim was to create an environment which would support British expansionist policy, although the Boers wished to remain independent.
Although outnumbered by the British, their opponents were highly skilled and, across the first and second wars, showed great determination to resist. During the second war, fighting was particularly bitter and British victory was only gained after a long period of guerrilla warfare.
Controversial tactics
The British had introduced concentration-style camps for women and children in the region, hoping to give the male fighters cause to rethink their involvement out of concern for family. This flawed tactic instead enabled Boer fighters to focus on the war, without the need to provide for dependents.
With poor facilities and widespread sickness in the camps, approximately 28,000 people are known to have died, mainly women and children. Eventually, British soldiers were ordered to leave the Boer families to ‘the enemy’ and a peace settlement was eventually agreed following a ‘scorched earth’ policy. You can find out more about this conflict elsewhere.
The second war is now viewed as a highly controversial aspect of British colonial policy and one that undoubtedly caused great suffering and death. Within this context, some people might consider the fundraising silk in ironic terms, since it was concerned with raising funds to alleviate the hardships of British soldiers’ families.
The impact in Britain
Lasting three years (1899-1902), the second war required many British recruits, including large numbers of volunteers. However, the British Army had difficulty recruiting men with the required fitness levels, able to pass the medical inspections. Working-class British men were frequently in very poor physical condition.
One positive consequence of the war, therefore, was that it triggered an interest in the plight of the working classes, paving the way for a period of reform under a Liberal government from 1906. A report from 1904 called for the introduction of free school meals and steps to reduce over crowding in homes.
It also became apparent that when working class men went to fight, they often left behind families in various states of hardship. It’s within this context that ‘The Absent-Minded Beggar Relief Corps’ was launched, to raise funds for the families of fighting soldiers.
It’s known that the 3rd Militia, a volunteer battalion of the Green Howards (then known as the Yorkshire Regiment), enjoyed large mugs of tea, coffee and cake paid for by the fund before they boarded the ship to take them to South Africa. They are shown here ready for setting sail.
Celebrity support for the fund
It was the Daily Mail who launched the ‘Absent Minded Beggar Relief Corps’ in 1899, quickly involving two national celebrities. Firstly, the words were supplied by then beloved poet Rudyard Kipling, well known to the public for novels such as ‘Kim’ and ‘The Jungle Book’. The aim was to encourage the public to donate generously.
Kipling later reflected: “My verses had some elements of direct appeal but, as was pointed out, lacked poetry”. It was left to Sir Arthur Sullivan to provide the rousing tune. Sullivan was one of the most famous composers at the time, best known for his collaborations with W.S. Gilbert (like The Pirates of Penzance and The Mikado). He was hugely popular with the British public.
Whilst triggering an outpouring of humanitarian support from the public, not everyone approved of the way the campaign supported the British Empire and struck a seemingly ‘jingoistic’ tone. You can hear a recording of it on YouTube.
The impact of the fund
The fund was an unprecedented success. Within six months of its launch, 627 soldiers’ wives and 1022 soldiers’ children had been fed and clothed, in line with the original aims.
Additionally the fund had supported 15,896 sick and wounded soldiers and provided 83,679 pieces of clothing, 2067 pounds of tobacco, 9765 pipes to smoke it in, 207,640 cigarettes, 10,268 free meals, 6963 free telegrams and 6857 free letters.
Exploring the object
The silk featured a large map of the region, a portrait of Queen Victoria and both the lyrics and music for the song.
Printing onto silk in this way created a high-quality method of presentation, transforming it into a desirable item. Anyone was free to use the song itself to raise funds for the cause.
Another portrait is included on the silk – that of ‘Lord Roberts’. By the late 19th century, he had served in senior command positions across the British Empire, including in India and Ireland, and was appointed Commander-in-Chief of the British Army in 1895. He was one of Britain’s most experienced and celebrated commanders by the time he took command in South Africa.
It seems that Roberts became something of a recognisable face among the British public, acquiring semi-celebrity status. Not only did he appear on the silk, but his portrait also featured on a ‘moustache cup‘ that you can explore elsewhere on the site.
Coming Soon… Find out about the stories of members of the Green Howards during this conflict
Talking Points
What different aspects of the cause do you think encouraged people to give generously?
Can you think of similar fundraising campaigns that have involved celebrities? Or fundraising campaigns involving music?
Why do you think there is a portrait of Queen Victoria on the silk?
Do you know the names of any army commanders nowadays? Would you recognise any?
What do you think will surprise the men from the Green Howards regiment when they reach their destination?
Why do you think they had volunteered to fight in this war? What factors would have led to this decision?
Why do you think Kipling chose to call men like these ‘absent-minded’. Do you think this is a good name for them?
Why do you think it was important to the campaign that Rudyard Kipling wrote the words? Who would be an equivalent figure today?
Vocabulary
Boer: A term used to describe people within present-day South Africa who traced their ancestry to the Dutch settlers who arrived in the cape of Good Hope in 1652. The word is derived from the Afrikaans word for ‘farmer’
Expansionist foreign policy: A practice of a country to increase its territory through military conquest or colonialism
Scorched earth policy: A military tactic which involved destroying resources to prevent an enemy from using them
Concentration camp: A place where people are detained, usually by a government
Jingoistic: Showing extreme nationalism or bias in favour of one’s own country
Hands on History
This object is from The Green Howards Museum in Richmond, North Yorkshire.
You can find out more about the role of the Green Howards, Yorkshire Regiment, and the conflicts they were involved in at the museum. Hear a recording of ‘The Absent-Minded Beggar’ song on YouTube.
Museum Location
Explore a range of objects with colonial themes