Newspaper Article About Visit Of HMS Flora
Source: Ladysmith Archives
Date: Saturday August 6th 1904
A Ladysmith Recorder newspaper article, Saturday, August 6th, 190,4 chronicling activities of the crew of HMS Flora while visiting Ladysmith. Excerpts from the text read as follows:
Football Match and Concert Given Thursday Evening By Crew of H.M.S. Flora.
The football match between Ladysmith and the Flora team came off on the Bunker grounds Thursday evening. The heat was intense but despite of this drawback both teams played with energy and in a sportsmanlike manner. The teams were evenly matched and at the completion of the game no score had been made. The Flora men played an excellent combination game while some exceedingly pretty work was done by the Ladysmith backs….
Immediately following the football match a concert was given in the opera house by the Flora’s crew….
The Ladysmith people turned up in crowds and together with the large number of officers and men from the ship, taxed the commodious opera house to the utmost capacity. The program exceeded all expectations and it can be said that it is a long time since Ladysmith people had such a treat in a musical way. Every item was thoroughly enjoyable, the selection of songs being very beautiful. The instrumental selection also deserved much praise.
The crew of the H.M.S. Flora deserve thanks for their kindness in organizing such a splendid entertainment for so admirable a cause, and should at any future occasion the Flora be stationed here, and should the crew again feel disposed to treat Ladysmith to another entertainment they can depend upon the patronage of the citizens.