Scottish Regiments’ Gift Tin

The fund, chaired by William MacDonald Sinclair, sent out the gift which comprised of a tobacco tin containing four bars of ‘Yankee Plug’ tobacco, and was one of a number of morale-boosting gifts sent to troops in November 1900. The image below shows the lid of the tin which is painted yellow with a gold border and carries images of the thistle and the lion rampant. The words ‘Frae Scots, tae Scots’ (From Scots, to Scots) and ‘For Auld Lang Syne’ are above and below the thistle motif.

Queen Victoria expressed her approval of the gift through a letter written by Sir Arthur Bigge:

“I am directed by the Queen to thank you for the specimen of tins containing tobacco, twenty thousand of which have been sent to the non-commissioned officers and men of the Scottish regiments in South Africa, which you have been good enough to submit for Her Majesty’s acceptance. At the same time, the Queen congratulates the Scottish Regiments’ Gift Fund Committee on the success of their generous and patriotic work.”