Lincoln men in the Boer War

[Alan7636]

Hi Everyone

I'm looking for help in tracing information on the men of Lincoln who served in the 2nd Boer War.

I believe that those that returned from South Africa after the war were given the Freedom of the City of Lincoln and were presented with a scroll commemorating the event.

Does anyone know of a list containing the names of the soldiers and regiments or Militia they served in and where the details can be viewed.

I've searched the usual places such as Lincolnshire Archives On Line and the  National Archives Catalogue but without success so any help would be appreciated.

Many thanks

Alan

[diddymiller]

Hi Alan - found a bit of info - that the grenadier guards were awarded the honour:

93. PRESENTATION OF THE HONORARY FREEDOM OF THE CITY TO THE
GRENADIER GUARDS
At the request of the Mayor (Councillor H Spratt), the Chief Executive and Town Clerk
read out the following motion:
To consider the recommendation of Council of 26 June 2007, pursuant to Section
249 of the Local Government Act 1972, to be proposed by the Right Worshipful the
Mayor, Councillor H Spratt and seconded by Councillor D Grice that:
a. The Mayor and Citizens of the City of Lincoln confer the Honorary Freedom of
the City upon the Officer Commanding, the Officers, Noncommissioned
Officers and Junior Ranks of the Grenadier Guards in recognition of the
important contribution which they have made to the City and the Nation during
War and Peace as well as continuing their traditional and privileged tasks of
Mounting Guard over the Sovereign and in the certainty that the close ties which
bind the Grenadier Guards and the City will draw even closer.

b. That an illuminated scroll embodying the abovementioned terms and sealed with
the Common Seal of the Council be presented to the Regimental Lieutenant
Colonel of the Grenadier Guards, Brigadier David Maddan.

The Mayor of Lincoln Councillor Spratt, proposed the said motion. He emphasised
that it was with great pleasure and an honour for him personally to propose the
freedom of the City of Lincoln to the Grenadier Guards. He referred to an excellent
musical concert performed by the Grenadier Guards in the Cathedral the previous
evening, which had raised a significant amount of money for both the Mayors Charity
and the Colonel’s fund and thanked members of the public for their attendance and
generosity. He referred to a Cathedral service to take place the next day followed by
the beating of the retreat in the Castle. He outlined the main reasons why the
Grenadier Guards should be honoured with the Freedom of the City of Lincoln,
highlighting that it was one of the finest regiments in the British Army.
The motion was seconded by Councillor D Grice.

Diddy

[diddymiller]

i think this is the the wording of the scroll and the activities of the actual ceremony at:

http://grengds.com/static.php?content_id=59

Diddy

[Alan7636]

Many thanks Diddy

The information you have kindly found would appear to have been bestowed upon the Grenadier Guards fairly recently and is not specific to the 2nd Boer War.

The reason I originally posted the question was that many years ago I remember a commemorative scroll hanging in my late Grandparents home in Stamford and a recent discussion with a number of my cousins seemed to point to the fact that it was given, together with the freedom of the City, to all the men of Lincoln who returned from the war in South Africa in 1902. ( My Grandfather was born, worked and was married in the City) Unfortunately the scroll has over the years gone missing.

I have looked again at his WWI medal card and it shows he was then a Sergent in the Lincolnshire Regiment. I stumbled across a web site about the Boer war that subsequently led me to a picture of a memorial in Lincoln Cathedral commemorating the fallen of the Lincolnshire Regiment during the campaign.

A further search has now unearthed the Regiments Museum at the Old Barracks in Burton Road, Lincoln, so it looks as if a visit there is called for.

I still think the Archives will hold information on the subject, its just that they are still trying to place the majority of their vast collection on the On-Line catalogue.

Once again thanks for looking Diddy, much appreciated.

Alan

[auntynet]

The regiment museum is in The Lincolnshire Life Musuem on Burton Road.  Its is a fab musuem with quite a lot in it so I am sure you will get a lot of info, I'm quite sure it is run by volounteers ex-serving personnel.

Jeanette

[diddymiller]

Alan - i thought it was the same place. i will be in the Museum of Lincs life at the end of february to do a Meccano show. if you haven't found info before then i am happy to oblige. its a 2 day show sat /sun and we will be staying in lincoln fri/sat night with my hubbys family (hes from lincoln).

Diddy

[Alan7636]

Jeanette & Diddy

Many thanks for getting back to me, thanks to you I now know exactly where the Old Barracks are, I’ve passed the Museum of life on a number of occasions and always meant to make time to visit but once ensconced in the Lincoln Archives they have a job to move me out. 

Its very kind offer of you Diddy, I doubt I shall be back in the City until the spring so if you do get time I would be most grateful if you could enquire if they have a listing of Lincoln soldiers that served in the Boer war between 1899 & 1902 and if and how I can examine the records.

It is ironic that my Grandfather John Albert Hicks, the subject of the enquiry,  was born in Inmans Row which I believe was just off of Newport, not that far from Burton Road.

Once again many thanks to you both for taking the time to reply 

Alan

[Geoff-E]

Ah - be aware that the new barracks - the Sobraon Barracks - was completed in the 1870s.

http://www.thelincolnshireregiment.org/sobraon.shtml

It is also on Burton Road but is further out of town http://tinyurl.com/ydaoxc5

[Alan7636]

Thanks for that Geoff

Two more places to visit now in addition to the Archives, Library and the Strugglers  Arms 

Might be cheaper soon to move to Lincoln

I found both Barracks on a 1920 map, then the Sobraon Barracks were shown as the 'Lincoln Barracks', the other place on the corner of Burton Road and Upper Long Leys Road, where I presume the the Museum of Life now is, were listed then as simply The Barracks.


Alan