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Boer War Memorabilia |
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BOER WAR PRISONERS IN BERMUDA 1901 - 1902 Various islands off Hamilton were selected for different groups: children on one, officers on another, those basically sympathetic to Britain on a third. Then there were those who might sign the oath of allegiance to Edward VII if it got them home sometime on a fourth and the irreconcilables, those who had sworn everlasting hostility to the Empire on two other rather inaccessible bits of rock. To amuse themselves and to make pocket money the Boers carved toys and implements, usually out of cedar. This was because cedar was the most common wood. However they would use anything they could get their hands on: pieces of old furniture, bones, coins, anything. Some they signed, some they didn’t. By 1903 very few prisoners were left in Bermuda, so whatever has that date on it is scarce. Even more rare is anything bearing a later date than that – 1906 for example, as only a couple of diehards remained, eking out a precarious living in a carpenter’s shop. They eventually wandered off or were absorbed into the community. |
ITEMS FOR SALE Circular shaving set, embossed Bermuda. $450 Fork POW. (scarce) 1902. $480 Knife POW. (scarce) 1902. $480 Letter opener POW (large). $120 Letter opener POW (small). $120 Letter opener POW, with slits. $120 Letter opener POW, with snake handle. $120 Napkin ring Bermuda. 1902. $360 Paper knife POW. 1902. $120 Paper knife POW. 1902 (large). $120 Paper knife, with ribbon made of mahogany. POW Ceylon. 1902. $360 Pen holder, with heart (light brown). $100 Pen holder with spiral (brown). $100 Pipe Boer War. 1899-1901. Pretoria. $480 Pipe. 1899-1902, with Boer coat of arms. $480 Unnamed snake boot. $520 Very rare cedar box. POW. 1906. From the last few holdouts. Price on request |
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