Question 17 Answer
The Mafeking memorial is the stone ornament in the front of the roof of the Lounge Bar and Restaurant on Main Street. In 1836 Thomas MacKay set up in business on this site and in 1900 he built todays building which ran as a popular tea room for many years. The siege of the small town of Mafeking occurred during the Boer war and lasted seven months in 1899, when the town was surrounded by a Boer force. Eventually a British force broke through the Boers and reinforced the town. The news was greeted with hysterical rejoicing across Britain after the disasters of the earlier days of the war with Largs like many other towns having a street parades to celebrate the news. The MacKays tea room was being built at this time. Its not known if Thomas had family links to the troops at Mafeking. More likely he was swept away with the hysteria at the time and added this feature to the building. Sadly today it is very weather worn and can’t really be seen in all its glory.
