In South Africa, war had broken out between the British army and Dutch settlers called Boers. Canada, being a British colony, answered the demand from Britain and sent volunteers to serve under British command. The town of Yorkton and vicinity was, in 1900, populated in majority with Ontario people of British descent and people from England and Scotland, all very loyal to the Crown. The photo here shows a grand celebration in Yorkton after a 217 day siege — the battle for the town of Mafeking had been won by the British. Celebrants are lined up in front of the old Manitoba & North Western Railway round house (where locomotives were turned around in railway yards). On the left side, on stage is Yorkton’s first band under the leadership of J.S. Smith, manager of the Hudson’s Bay Company store.
Photo from the Howard Jackson Collection. If any one wishes more information about this photo, such as names of many in the crowd, please call the Archives.
Contact Terri Lefebvre Prince,
Heritage Researcher,
City of Yorkton Archives,
Box 400, 37 Third Avenue North
Yorkton, Sask. S3N 2W3
306-786-1722
heritage@yorkton.ca
