County: Cumberland
Issued on: Return
Date of presentation: 06/10/1902
Number issued: 2
Gold watch, chain and pendant, suitably inscribed, to:
Presentation made by Mr Noble, at Warwicksland School.
Reverse with representation of a watch face & chain, and the words: "Watch and chain the Volunteer".
Each yeoman also received a silver-mounted pipe.
PRESENTATION TO RETURNED YEOMEN.
GATHERING AT NICHOLFOREST.
An interesting ceremony took place at Warwicksland School last night, when the residents of the sparsely populated parish of Nicholforest, in the extreme north of Cumberland, met together to do honour to Thomas William DUERDEN and Andrew FORSTER, two members of the Imperial Yeomanry, who have recently returned to their homes in the parish after service in South Africa. DUERDEN, who lives at Hirst Head, relinquished his position as assistant master at Canonbie School, whilst FORSTER had formerly lived with his brother at Stonegarthside. They went with the Cumberland Company of the Imperial Yeomanry who departed for the seat of war early last year, and participated in the varied experiences of their Company. DUERDEN acted as Quartermaster-Sergeant to his Company, and FORSTER served as a Private. Their return home was quite unexpected by the Nicholforest folk, who had had no inkling of the date of their arrival, and their home-coming was thus a quiet one. As soon, however, as it was known that they had returned, Mr Forster, of The Nook, in fulfilment of a promise he had made, invited everybody in the parish to a dance at his house, and about 100 people spent an enjoyable evening there.
A Committee was appointed about the same time, consisting of Mr Arthur Lawson, Redgate Head; Mr Stephen Lawson, Dyke Head; Mr White, Kingfield; Mr Tait, Penton Inn; and Mr John Henderson, The Green, and an effort was made to secure for the two returned Yeomanry men a worthy testimonial of the parishioners’ sense of their public-spirited service. Subscriptions were solicited, and about £35 was raised, everybody showing the warmest interest in the movement. A gold watch, chain, and pendant, together with a silver-mounted pipe and a pound of tobacco were obtained for each of the men, the pendant having inscribed upon it the words – “The gift of Nicholforest folk and friends, to ________ , 24th Coy. I.Y., on his return from the Boer War, 1902”, whilst on the back was engraved the representation of a watch face and chain and the words “Watch and chain the Volunteer”.
The schoolroom was crowded at six o’clock, the hour fixed for the presentation. The Rev. H.M. Joyce, the vicar, presided, and among others present were Mr Noble, Edinburgh; the Rev. J. Guthrie; a party from Kingfield House consisting of Mr and Mrs Gladstone (London), Mr William Moore and Miss Moore (Liverpool), and Miss Phillips (Kingfield); Mr Moffatt and Mr K. Bowie, Canonbie; Mr and Mrs F. Forster, Nook; Mr and Mrs Rodes[?], the Schoolhouse, besides the members of the Committee and people from all parts of the parish. Mr Black, Penton House, had been expected to make the presentation, but was unable to leave home, and his nephew, Mr Noble, performed the pleasant duty instead. The heroes of the occasion were enthusiastically cheered on entering the room.
The Chairman said he felt sure he spoke the sentiments of all present when he said they were all greatly pleased to see the two brave soldiers once more among them safe and sound – (cheers), – and he felt sure that should the country at any time require their services again they would be found ready in the hour of need. The testimonials which were about to be presented would, he hoped, in years to come help to remind them that the people of their native place were not forgetful of their services in South Africa. (Cheers).
Mr Noble on rising to make the presentation expressed regret that his uncle, who had greatly wished to take part in the proceedings, was unable to leave home owing to the risk of exposure to the night air. Whatever they might think of the origin or the necessity for the war, whatever their opinions as the administration of the War Office, or whatever they might think of the painful incidents in the campaign, there could be only one opinion of the devotion and loyalty of these men who at their country’s call took their lives in their hands and went forth to maintain the honour and prestige of the Empire. (Cheers). War at the best was a terrible business. Happily they were not met to unveil any memorial or stone in some God’s acre, but rather to look at the brighter side and welcome back those who had gone forth from that district. The fact that so many young men had offered their services to the country had demonstrated beyond question that the day of conscription in this country was yet afar off. So long as they had men of the type of the two present ready to set aside in some measure their natural feeling of self-preservation and yield up the love of hearth and home, he thought we might still hold up our heads in this old England of ours. (Cheers). These young men had endured great hardships and undergone discipline which would stand them in good stead in fighting the battle of their civil life, and he was sure they would re-enter it with the dignity and self-restraint that marked the soldier’s career. (Cheers).
The presentation was then made, and the recipients each saluted on receiving the gifts.
Quartermaster-Sergeant DUERDEN, in returning thanks, said that their friends had been much too good to them. They would value the gifts much above their intrinsic worth as being lasting mementoes of appreciation of their services for their country. If England had to undertake another such war he hoped that the lessons of the Boer war would be remembered and that they would go into it better prepared. Nicholforest had too small a population to provide a company of Volunteers, but there was a company at Canonbie and a rifle range there, and he thought that more young men should join the Volunteers and make themselves efficient in shooting and drill. (Cheers).
Private FORSTER also briefly acknowledged the kindness of the people of the parish.
The Rev. J. Guthrie afterwards expressed his appreciation of the young men’s services, and congratulated then upon their splendid physique and the apparent benefit which they had received from their life in South Africa.
