Boer War Memorial Fountain

Boer War Memorial Fountain

The figure at the top of the fountain was modeled from a photograph of a local Canadian Mounted Rifleman, Billy Pickering, a well-known athlete from Halifax who went to South Africa after his adventures in the Klondike Gold Rush. Photos of him in his uniform were sent to the Macfarlane Iron Works in Glasgow where the statue was made by Hamilton MacCarthy. He is supported by a Corinthian capital surrounded by four cranes standing amid daffodils. Surrounding the fountain stands a collection of weeping trees including Weeping European Beech ( Fagus sylvatica Pendula ), Camperdown Elms (Ulmus glabra ‘Camperdownii’) and Weeping Ash (Fraxinus excelsior ‘Pendula’).

The memorial was erected by citizens of Halifax. One of the Camperdown Elms, (Ulmus glabra ‘Camperdownii’), was donated by the family of a Canadian soldier who died during the Boer War.

The memorial was unveiled in 1903 and commemorates the service of Canadian soldiers in the South African War.

Inscription

ERECTED BY THE COMMISSIONERS OF THE PUBLIC GARDENS
IN COMMEMORATION OF THE SERVICES OF OUR CITIZEN SOLDIERS
IN THE SOUTH AFRICAN CAMPAIGN 1899 – 1902

Fontaine commémorative de la guerre des Boers

Le personnage au haut de la fontaine est inspiré d’une photo d’un fusilier de la Gendarmerie royale du Canada. Il est supporté par une colonne de style corinthien, entourée de quatre grues au milieu de jonquilles. Autour de la fontaine se trouve une collection d’arbres pleureurs, dont un hêtre pleureur (Fagus sylvatica ‘Pendula’), des ormes pleureurs (Ulmus glabra ‘Camperdownii’) et un frêne commun pleureur (Fraxinus excelsior ‘Pendula’).

Le monument a été érigé par les citoyens de Halifax. L’un des ormes pleureurs, (Ulmus glabra ‘Camperdownii’) est un don d’une famille d’un soldat canadien qui est mort durant la guerre des Boers.

Le monument a été inauguré en 1903 et commémore le service des soldats canadiens durant la guerre d’Afrique du Sud.

Le texte de l’inscription figure dans la section anglaise.