Boer War Monument

North Yard, Province House

A century ago, Halifax was still, for all intents and purposes, a British city.  From its founding as a military base in 1749, Halifax itself saw prosperity come and go in the ebb and flow of the tides of war.  This is a history as a base for armed forces and naval fleets, but also a history of the people of Halifax and Nova Scotia heeding the call to arms from the British and, later, Canadian governments.  Symbolic of this past is the monument dedicated to the citizen soldiers from Halifax and Nova Scotia who went to fight in South Africa in 1899 in what became known as the Boer War.  In the north yard of Province House in the downtown stands the Boer War Monument.  The foundation stone for this statue was laid in 1901 by the Duke of York, George V.

The monument reads:  Erected by the people of Nova Scotia in honour of those who served and in memory of those who fell in the South African Campaign, 1899-1902. This stone [the base] was laid by H.R.H. the Duke of Cornwall and York who with his illustrious consort visited Halifax Oct.19, 1901.  God Save the King.  The four scenes on each face of the base of the statue depict, as follows: Departure from Halifax (east) Witpoort (north) Mateking (west) Paardeberg (south)

Further dedication to this conflict can be found in the Public Gardens.  One may think, too, that Winston Churchill would favour a nod for his part in the South African War.  His capture by and escape from the Boers began his legend and helped make his name well known to the British electorate who were soon to send him to Parliament for over 60 years.

The site of Halifax's Boer War Monument has an older history.  At the city's founding in 1749, Edward Cornwallis, Halifax's founder and first governor, had his house built on this same spot.  The house remained the residence of subsequent governors until the construction of Government House at the beginning of the 19th century.