VPRS 16930 The Empire's Patriotic Fund Applications

When Britain declared war on the Boers in October 1899, patriotic funds, with varying titles and of differing sizes, were established across Australia. Each colony had its primary patriotic fund which was supplemented by additional smaller, more individual funds. The large funds were generally established at local government level, and administered from the town hall or council chambers. Branches were established across the colonies, in suburbs and country towns, run by committees that largely consisted of local council members, leading community businessmen, and particularly at the central level, politicians. These local committees reported to the executive committee of the central fund run out of the town hall, located in the capital of the colony, and generally sent all monies raised to the central fund.The management of the patriotic funds was entirely the responsibility of the executive committee which had full power to dispose of the monies, and to frame or alter bylaws relating to the ways in which the monies were both invested and allocated. The committees also had total control over not only how the monies were allocated but how much was given for different applications.In Victoria, there was the Victorian Contingent Fund, the General War Relief Fund, and the Empire's Patriotic Fund (South African War), run by the Lord Mayor of Melbourne.The Victorian Empire's Patriotic Fund (South African War) raised almost 65,000 from its beginnings on 9 January 1900. By 8 November 1918, all monies had been disbursed and the fund was officially disbanded. In 1900, 40,000 had been sent to the Empire Patriotic Commission in London with the proviso that the money be spread equally between the four subdivisions of the fund. These areas were: sick and wounded soldiers; widows and orphans; disabled soldiers and sailors; and wives and children of soldiers and sailors while their husbands were absent.The remainder of the monies raised in Victoria (over 25,000) was allocated as grants to Victorian soldiers and their dependents from 1900 to 1918.In Victoria, applications were sent to the Melbourne Town Hall. The applications are contained within a standardised file detailing the application number, name of soldier, name of applicant (soldier or the next of kin) and the name of regiment.There are two types of application forms: Form 1 is for applicants within the Victorian Contingent and Form 2 is for Members of Forces other than Victorian Contingent. Supporting documentation is also included within the files, such as marriage and birth certificates, letters to and from the Commonwealth and Victorian Defence Departments, letters of character recommendation, discharge certificates, notices of death, doctor's certificates, statutory declarations and memos from the Victorian Military Forces.Alongside these are more personal mementos, including correspondence between soldiers and their loved ones, receipts for food and clothing, possession lists, photographs and telegraphs.