TOPIC:

Howden (East Yorkshire) has an original method of thanking its active service Volunteers. Each returned Volunteer has just received a gold ring, inscribed: "South African War, with Howden's thanks."


Bolton Evening News

Has anyone ever seen one of these rings, or heard of them before? Quite possible that some of them are still with descendants of the Volunteers.

There's a plaque in Howden Minster with the names of 19 volunteers, so, presumably nineteen rings were inscribed and presented.

This Tablet Records the
Patriotism
of Those Members of the Howden
Company Whose Names are Inscribed
Below in Voluntarily Coming Forward
in the Hour of Their Country's Need
and Actively Serving With Their
Territorial Regiment in the
Boer War, South Africa
In Order to Uphold the Honour of the
Empire and the Rights and Liberties
of Their Kinsmen Across the Sea.
March 1900 to June 1901

Sergeant F BULLOCK
L.Corporal S H RODELL
L.Corporal R J FOSTER
Private G INGHAM
Private J M CLARKSON
Private A TYERMAN
Private F G LEYELL
Private F RAMSEY
Private J W CHESTER
Private E W SMITH
Private H HARRISON
Private R B SMITH
Private W HOLMES
Private C W MORRIS
Private J W LATHAM
Private C W YATES
Private F S ASHTON
Private J L JOHNSON
Private T A BOYNTON

Berenice
That is an interesting discovery! Thank you for sharing it with us, and for the relevant nominal roll.
Regards
Brett

Berenice,

Very interesting. I had not heard of this before, nor indeed tribute rings.

Best wishes,

Justin

Good Morning Berenice.....

As a sub-collector of tribute pieces this is fantastic.....

I wonder how many still exist......

Mike

Only 11 rings were distributed, to the men from Howden and the nearby village of Wressle.

"In the interval a presentation was made to the Volunteers who had been out at the front by Mrs G. H. Anderton, on behalf of the War Committee. The presentation was in the form of a gold ring inscribed with the words "South African War, with Howden's thanks." The following were present to receive the gift: - Private Clarkson, Private J. Chester, Private F. G. Levitt, Private R. B. Smith, Private G. Ingham. The Volunteers who were unable to attend will have the rings forwarded to them. Their names are: - Corporal R. J. Foster, Lance-Corporal H. Harrison, and J. L. Johnson, Private A. Boynton, Private E. W. Smith, and Private C. Yates."

Hull Daily Mail, Friday 17th January 1902

Many thanks for this post Berenice. It is always nice to learn something new.
They are I believe all men of the Volunteer Service Co, 2nd East Yorkshire, Howden Contingent and their details are (in the order they appear in your post) all Howden except where shown

7033 Pte J M Clarkson;
7037 Pte J W Chester (Howden Dyke)
7035 Pte F Levitt
7041 Pte R Smith (Wressle)
7034 Pte G Ingham

7043 Cpl R J Foster
7039 L/Cpl H Harrison
7083 Pte J Johnson
7082 Pte A T Boynton
7040 Pte E W Smith (Wressle)
7081 Pte C Yates (Howden Dyke)

I have a small number of medals to the 2nd VB East Yorks and I have one for the Howden Contingent. Sadly my man, S H Eddell, was from Cowick and the rings did not stretch as far as his village!
Most of the above got a 4 Bar QSA (Witt, CC, Trans & SA01)

Andrew