Leeds in 1900: How a city celebrated the Relief of Mafeking

It was the year the end of a siege more than 7,500 miles from Leeds prompted jubilant celebrations in the city Flags were hung out in the city centre to celebrate the Relief of Mafeking. This was a town in South Africa which had been besieged by Boer troops for 27 weeks. News of the end of the siege reached Leeds late in the evening of Friday, May 18, 1900. The Yorkshire Post reported that "Quite half an hour elapsed after the good news had been published before the long pent-up spirits of Leeds people found vent... the enthusiasm came like the pop of a drawn champagne cork. Bunting sprouted like magic. Every other tramcar floated a Union Jack from the trolley pole; the national emblem decorated scores of hansoms". On Monday it noted that "Neither Jubilee nor Royal visits have ever evoked such spontaneous, whole-hearted, whole-souled enthusiasm, or brought together within the limited area of the centre of the city such crowds as were seen on Saturday". The end of the siege gave rise to national jubilation, but it was not the conclusion of the Boer War that came in 1902. Three of the photos in this gallery showcase the Relief of Mafeking celebrations while others capture life around the city during the year with Hunslet and Armley both in focus. The images are published courtesy of photographic archive Leodis, which is run by Leeds Library & Information Service. They also run heritage blog The Secret Library Leeds, which provides a behind the scenes look at the Central Library and highlights from its special collections, including rare books hidden away in the stacks. READ MORE: