Peace: the Treaty of Vereeniging 1902
The cost of war
The Treaty of Vereeniging formally ended the Second Boer War on 31 May 1902.
The peace treaty was signed between Britain, the Transvaal Republic and the Orange Free State. The terms of the peace concluded that both states would be recognised as colonies of the British Empire.
Although the Second Boer War was a success for Britain and her Empire, the peace had come at a severe cost to all parties involved.
The British lost over 28,000 killed and wounded on the battlefield. A further 75,000 were repatriated home as invalids and long term wounded. Accurate Boer battlefield casualties are not available but it is believed at least between 18,000 and 28,000 died in refugee camps. (Source: David Smurthwaite, The Boer War)
Celebrating peace
The day peace was declared in 1902
Pietermaritzburg 1904H company, 2nd battalion West Yorkshire Regiment, had their photograph taken to mark the day peace was declared.
Similarly, Lieutenant George Crossman gathered with his fellow officers at Pietermaritzburg in 1904.
They are seen here proudly showing their newly awarded campaign medal ribbons which can be seen stitched on to their uniforms.
In this exhibition
- South Africa in the nineteenth century
- Declaration of War 1899
- Arrival in South Africa
- On campaign
- The heat of battle
- Climate and landscape
- Peace: the Treaty of Vereeniging 1902
- The pioneering work of Professor Jean Hanson, 1919-1973
- Early career
- Biophysics at King's College
- Hanson's research on muscles
- Work with Dr Hugh Huxley
- The sliding filament hypothesis
- Hanson’s later career and legacy