TOPIC:

I knew that my wife's great-grandfather, Abraham Fischer, the one and only Prime Minister of the Orange River Colony, was awarded this medal, but I did not know it was also given to his wife. He started out as a lawyer in the Cape Colony, but he moved to the Free State, where he met and married his wife, who was the daughter of Scottish immigrants. He became prominent in both legal and political circles in the Free State, notably during the Boer War. The fate of their medals is unknown, but they might have ended up in the Free State Archives with other Fischer family papers and relics.

Brett

Brett,

That's really interesting.

Mrs A Fischer is on the roll for a medal.

Best wishes
David

Meurig,

Some recipients had their medals privately engraved so I wondered if that was the case with your medal.

Thinking back to the roll, there are medals to judges but no other legal professionals so perhaps this is a self issue?

I presume the roll is quite accurate because the roll was closed six months after the date of the warrant at which time awards could only be made with Royal Approval. That said, the NA reference posted yesterday has the date range 1910-1960 attached to it.

Best wishes
David

Self issue is always a possibility, but with such a small issue it would harder to come by, unless he had a "spare" handed on by a colleague/associate.

From the latest Dixon's Gazette:

Union of South Africa Commemoration Medal 1910. Unnamed as issued, in fitted red leather case and outer card box.

Attributed to B. E. A. Rabe who was a member of the late Legislative Assembly of Natal, prior to the Union of South Africa being formed in 1910.

Sold with Government House, Cape Town, letter, dated 30 November 1910; and Administrator's Office, Natal, enclosure, dated 19 December 1910, both named to the recipient.

GBP £695

The medal was accompanied by a letter from the governor-general, Viscount Gladstone. Presumably this is the "Government House Cape Town letter" referred to by Dixon's.

I came across a copy of the letter in a museum many years ago, and wrote down the text. It read as follows :

" It was the most earnest wish of His Majesty King Edward VII to commemorate the Union of the South African colonies by presenting a medal to those who have rendered special service in connection with the establishment of the Union or with the opening of the first Union Parliament. Up to the time of his lamented death, His Majesty showed the keenest interest in the institution of this medal as a record for Himself personally of the great victory of Peace and Union.

" I have it in command from His Majesty King George to transmit to you the silver medal enclosed herewith, in commemoration of the establishment of the Union and of the auspicious opening of the first Parliament by His Royal Highness the Duke of Connaught.

" Believe me, yours faithfully
Gladstone. "