Souvenir handkerchief commemorating the Relief of Ladysmith : Boer War

White linen handkerchief printed in black within a square black border. The centre shows a representation of the Relief of Ladysmith, which took place on 1 March 1900, with Major Hubert Gough, from the relief column, shaking the hand of Lieutenant General Sir George White, who commanded the besieged garrison. Both men are on horseback, in front of assembled troops, with tents and the town of Ladysmith in the background. Above are the words, 'Relief of Ladysmith.'. There are five portraits of British military leaders, one in each corner of the scene and a larger one in the lower centre, each set within an oval. They are labelled, clockwise from the top left corner: 'SIR. G.S. WHITE, V.C., G.C.I.E., K.C.B. (commander of the Ladysmith garrison); 'MAJOR GENERAL FRENCH'; 'GENERAL SIR REDVERS BULLER'; 'LORD ROBERTS OF CANDAHAR' [Sic]; and 'LORD KITCHENER. CHIEF OF STAFF'.

The history of this handkerchief is unknown. Patriotic souvenirs of this type were popular during the Boer War and ranged from cheap cotton handkerchiefs with monochrome printing, often produced by local newspaper presses, to better quality cotton with more elaborate designs and multi-colours, and, at the upper range of the market, silk handkerchiefs, with a coloured design.

The handkerchiefs were produced in England, South Africa and in countries who sent troops to the war. Some were tailored specifically to appeal to the families of troops from a particular country; others commemorated the military and political leaders during the war, specific events in the war, or were designed as more general expressions of support for the troops of the British Empire as a whole.