Dundee Involvement in the South African War (1899-1902)

1900 Freedom of the City of Dundee to the South African Volunteers

From the Dundee Year Book for 1900.

DUNDEE VOLUNTEERS RECEIVE FREEDOM OF CITY.

The volunteers of the 1st and 3d V.R.H., Dundee, who offered themselves for active service in response to the call of Government, were on the night of Wednesday, 27th February, in the Drill Hall presented with the freedom of the city, amid a scene of martial enthusiasm which was only equalled on the occasion of a similar ceremony twelve months previously.
The men to be honoured had already left the city for Perth, the training quarters of the Black Watch, but arrangements were made with the military authorities for allowing them to return to Dundee for the freedom ceremony. The scene within the Drill Hall rivalled the memorable spectacle in the same building a year before, when the first of Dundee's volunteer sons went forth to the war. he men of both volunteer battalions were drawn up in line along the centre of the hail, the Rifles naturally taking the end nearest their headquarters and the Highlanders being situated to the right.
Viewed from the platform, the scene was impressive and inspiring. Shortly before eight the word of command rang out, and the active service lads of the 3rd quickly followed by their brethren of the 1st filed into the hall being each played in by their respective bands. A great cheer was raised as the warriors took up position, but some disappointment was expressed that they were not attired in the popular khaki. Only Lieutenant Corrie and the two sergeants in charge wore the field uniform.
All eyes were for a time centred on the 45 volunteers proceeding to the front to relieve their comrades, and the admission was generally made that in physique and “set-up" the latest of Dundee's active service volunteers were in no way behind the first contingent. Lord Provost Hunter was attired in the uniform of Hon. Col. of the Rifles, and the Bailies wore their crimson and ermine robes. The Magistrates present were Bailies Urquhart, Barrie, Melville, Stevenson, and Crighton. The Town Council was represented by Lord Dean of Guild Bell, Messrs Doig, Macaulay, Henderson, High, Martin, Langlands, Nicoll. On the Lord Provost's right hand were Mrs Hunter and Colonel Brickenden, commanding the 42nd Reimenta1 District; while on his left was Mr John Thornton, who officiated in place of Sir Thomas Thornton, the Town Clerk. A number of prominent local officers were also on the platform, including Colonel Rankin, Colonel Smith, and Major Hill. His Lordship opened the proceedings by asking Mr Thornton to read the minute of the Town Council resolving to confer the freedom on 45 men from the 1st and 3rd Battalions going out to South Africa. This Mr Thornton did. Subsequently the Lord Provost announced apologies for absence from General Chapman, Rev. Dr Cohn Campbell, and others.

Letter from Earl Roberts.

Lord Provost Hunter stated that he had received the following letter from Earl Roberts the Commander-in-Chief of the Army, and this was hailed with an outburst of cheers.

War Office, Pall Mall, 26th Feb. 1901.
My Lord Provost, - it gives me great pleasure to hear that the City of Dundee is tomorrow to present the freedom of the city to 45 members of the volunteer corps on the occasion of their leaving for South Africa.
Will you permit me, as a fellow-burgher of Dundee, to express to them my congratulations on the honour conferred on them by their native city, and my confidence that they will worthily uphold the honour of the flag for which so many gallant Scotchmen have laid down their lives – Believe me, yours very truly,
ROBERTS, F.M.

Addressing the men, Lord Provost Hunter said – The burgess roll on which your names are now inscribed is a many-sided one. We have there the names of local magnates and burgesses by whose exertions the trade and commerce of Dundee was developed in days gone by. It also shows most clearly the relationship the burgh bore towards those entrusted with the nation's affairs. We have here statesmen of the very highest eminence. We have explorers who have opened up vast tracts oil country and who have been the pioneers of civilisation to darkened lands. We have soldiers and sailors whose names will ever live in the country's history on account of their valour and heroic deeds. We have engineers by whose skill and daring much has been accomplished for the material advance of our nation.
We have sought to honour these men for valuable services rendered to the town or to the country. There is this distinction between those I have referred to and you, namely, we propose placing your names on our Burgess Roll as a recognition and token of the confidence we repose in you that you will do your duty in the defence of our King and our Fatherland nobly and well. (Applause.) We all fervently pray that this war may speedily come to an end, and that all our volunteers and all our soldiers may be spared to return ere long to their homes and to their families and to their friends, and that the outcome of this struggle and all the hardship and sufferings of our soldiers will be the planting of the grand old flag in South Africa – a flag which carries with it, and is the symbol of freedom equal rights, justice, liberty, and prosperity to all – (applause) – and we believe in the not distant future we will have the Dutch and the Boer defending that flag as bravely as ever they fought for the colours of the Transvaal or the Orange Free State. (Loud applause.) I beg now to put into your hands this parchment conferring on you the freedom of the City of Dundee. (Renewed applause.)

The Freedom Parchment

The Burgess tickets were all in the same form, the following being a copy of that presented to Lieutenant Corrie, 1st V.B.R.H: -
At Dundee, the eighteenth day of February, in the year of our Lord, One Thousand Nine Hundred and One.
Which day the Lord Provost, Magistrates, and Town Council of the City and Royal Burgh of Dundee being met and convened in Council and having the Locked Book of Burgesses of he said City and Royal Burgh open before them, do, and hereby do confer, the freedom of the said City and Royal Burgh of the first class, with all the sundry liberties, privileges and immunities thereto belonging, on Lieutenant A.B. Corrie, in recognition of his patriotism in volunteering for active service in the South African War as one of the 1st (City of Dundee) Volunteer Battalion (The Black Watch) Royal Highlanders, but that always conform to, and in terms of, the Acts of Parliament thereanent.

What is above written is the record of the creation and admission of the said Lieutenant A.B. Corrie as a Burgess of the City and Royal Burgh of Dundee as specified in the Council Minute-Book of this date; and this folio is signed by the Lord Provost, being the Chairman of the Meeting of Council at which the creation and admission was made and also by the Town Clerk in name and by authority thereof.
Wm Hunter, Lord Provost.
Thos. Thornton, Town Clerk.

Each of the men as his name was called stepped briskly forward and was handed his burgess ticket while Mrs Hunter handed to each a silver medal similar in design to that which the Lord Provost and his Lady presented to the volunteer who previously went from the city to war. Every recipient was loudly cheered. The names of the men honoured are as follows: -

Lord Provost William Hunter	The Freedom Document

transcribed by Iain D. McIntosh, 2020