Hay British Infants School 15
The relief of Mafeking, 1900
Most early school records, though obviously chiefly concerned with the local community, occasionally refer to events further afield, especially in times of war. Examples from the School Log Books of the Infants School at Hay are shown below.
These refer to the Anglo-Boer War in South Africa. The relief of Mafeking in 1900 was marked by national celebrations to mark the successful outcome of a siege lasting 217 days. A small British force led by Baden-Powell was trapped in the small town, surrounded by a force of some 6000 Boer soldiers. They held out until reinforcements arrived by the use of clever deceptions, and Baden-Powell was feted as a great hero.
Infants School
Log Book
"Reopened school on Monday morning. A Holiday was given on Tuesday, in celebration of the relief of Mafeking".
County Archives
B/E/PS/36/L/1
"Public rejoicings; Tea also given to all the school children, on Tuesday afternoon, on the occasion of the return of the Hay Volunteers from the Front. No school".
Photograph
by kind permission of
Eric Lewis Pugh
of Hay
The
Hay Volunteers are shown in this contemporary photograph.A final entry on this subject in the log books was dated 6th June 1902 and read:
"To signalise the termination of the Transvaal War, the children were given a holiday on Tuesday".
