NAM.1963-12-305-148

‘Mr Merriman’s “Brutal British Soldiers” paying for Provisions’, 1900 (c). Lantern slide, No 253 ‘Transvaal in War’ series, after artist, Charles Edwin Fripp, 1900 (c). Soldiers purchasing provisions from a Boer farm, 1900 (c). Associated with Boer War (1899-1902). Printed in ‘The Graphic’ 15 September 1900. Fripp was inspired to draw this scene as a response to Mr John Xavier Merriman (1841-1926), Treasurer General of the Cape (and later Prime Minister of the Cape Colony, 1908-1910) who spoke in the House of Assenbly in Cape Town on 24 July 1900, criticising the behaviour of British soldiers administering martial law in Cape Colony, ‘I read this precious oratorical effort whilst at work on this sketch, which shows the characteristic behaviour of the 'Brutal' British soldiery to the Dutch during this campaign.  Our 'licentious mercenaries' are engaged, as i witnessed very frequently, in the dastardly practice of purchasing provisions at the farmhouse and bloodthirstily bargaining for geese with the terrified inhabitants’ From a collection of two hundred and forty three lantern slides, mainly relating to the Boer War, mainly illustrations from Illustrated London News and The Sphere, 1899-1902.

Boer War (1899-1902)