Scotland: Boer War: Glasgow City Council South African War and Indian Famine Fund

Form:

Circular

By:

J.A. Restall, Birmingham

Date:

1900

Ref:

Laidlaw: 0765;

Variations:

Size	Metal	Mass	Value
38.6 mm	Silver	26.2 gm	$280

Edge:

Plain.

Obverse:

Reeded rim. Crossed British Union flag standards. Left flag with shield: TRANSVAAL" and ribbon" SOUTH AFRICA", right flag with Star of India and ribbon: "INDIA". In the top angle, clasped hands across and crown above. In the bottom angle, coat of arms of Glasgow with bishop crest and motto: "LET GLASGOW FLOURISH". Design flanked by different types of foliage left and right. Legend on a raised band above: "SOUTH AFRICAN WAR AND INDIAN FAMINE FUND" and below between star stops: "1900".

Reverse:

Reeded rim. Wreath of laurel (left) and thistle (right) tied with a bow at the bottom enclosing blank space for engraving.

Notes:

Comes inside a black fitted case lined with white silk and black velvet. On the inside of the lid in gilt within a rectangle: "J.A. RESTALL / JEWELLERS / SILVERSMITH & MEDALLIST / 82, CAMBRIDGE ST. / BIRMINGHAM".

It is believed that this medal was presented to those who helped administer the fund raising effort. It is not known how much money was raised or to what ends the funds were put.

The Indian famine of 1899–1900 was a massive tragedy of human suffering. It began with the failure of the summer monsoons in 1899 over west and central India and, during the next year, affected an area of 476,000 square miles and a population of 59.5 million. Estimates vary between 1 million and 4.5 million deaths.

The scale of the suffering during the Boer War was relatively small. At least 25,000 Afrikaners died in the war, most of them in concentration camps. The war also claimed 22,000 British and 12,000 African lives.