The Guild of Loyal Women of South Africa was a voluntary organisation which identified, marked and maintained
Second Boer War graves and military graveyards. A prominent founder member was the author and conservationist,
Dorothea Fairbridge (1862–1931).
History
The Guild was founded in early 1900, and by June of that year had 3,000 members mainly in the Cape Colony. By the end of the year it had branches in Natal and there were plans for branches in the Free State and the Transvaal. Although the members considered themselves non-political (in the sense of local party politics) as the name suggests the movement attracted members from those loyal to
the British Crown
The Crown is the state in all its aspects within the jurisprudence of the Commonwealth realms and their subdivisions (such as the Crown Dependencies, overseas territories, provinces, or states). Legally ill-defined, the term has different m ...
, and it received royal patronage in December 1900. In 1901 it became affiliated with the
Victoria League
The Victoria League for Commonwealth Friendship (1901–present) is a voluntary charitable organisation that connects people from Commonwealth countries. There are currently branches in the UK, Australia, and New Zealand with affiliated organisatio ...
(now ''The Victoria League for Commonwealth Friendship'').
Cultural references
''To The South African Guild of Loyal Women'' is a poem about the organisation written by
Cicely Fox Smith (1882–1954).
See also
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Commonwealth War Graves Commission
Notes
References
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* — first published:
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Further reading
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* — How the Guild helped relatives of an Australian soldier killed in the Boer War commemorate his death at his graveside 100 years later.
Defunct civic and political organisations in South Africa
Organizations established in 1900
Second Boer War
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