TOPIC:

Over fifty years ago, but, eight quid was a lot of money.

djb wrote:

Picture courtesy of DNW

QSA (2) Defence of Kimberley, Orange Free State (4028 Pte E. Whitehead, 1: L.N. Lanc: Regt)

Invalided to England 16 July 1900.

Last recorded at Spink March 1969 where it sold for £8.

Picture courtesy of DNW

QSA (1) Defence of Kimberley (397 Pte. W. J. Spence. Kimberley Vol: Regt.);
Mayor of Kimberley’s Star 1899-1900, reverse hallmark with date letter ‘a’, unnamed as issued

W J Spence attested for the Kimberley Volunteer Regiment and served with them during the Boer War at the Defence of Kimberley. Discharged on 4 July 1901, he subsequently joined the Cape Police Special Contingent, and was taken Prisoner of War at Zoutlief on 16 September 1901.

A 50^th Anniversary attendee

Picture courtesy of DNW

QSA (3) Defence of Kimberley, Orange Free State, Transvaal (4788 Pte. A. Hedger, 1st. L.N. Lanc. Regt.)
[ KSA (2) ]

Service papers exist.

Provenance: Glendining’s, May 1980.

Picture courtesy of Spink

Egypt undated (1) Gemaizah 1888 (1346. Sergt. H. Tabuteau. 2/K.O. Sco: Bord:);
QSA (3) Defence of Kimberley, South Africa 1901, South Africa 1902 (Lieut: H. Tabuteau. Kimberley Town Gd:);
Kimberley Star 1899-1900, 'a', unnamed;
Khedive's Star, undated

Harry Tabuteau was born around 1862 at Carrick-on-Shannon, County Leitrim, Ireland, and attested for the King's Own Scottish Borderers at Dublin on 14 September 1885. Somewhat unusually, his attestation documents gave his trade as 'none', but note his father as Mr J. O. Tabuteau, an engineer living at Leinster Road, Rathmines, Dublin.

Posted to the 2nd Battalion, Tabuteau first witnessed service overseas at Gibraltar from 3 July 1885-24 June 1886. Returned home briefly, he served in Egypt from 19 July-2 December 1888, being present at the Action at Gemaizah, before crossing the border to East Sudan for 29 days and then returning to Egypt until 1 January 1890. It was around this time that he began to struggle with mild cases of fever and congestion of the liver attributed to hot climates, nevertheless he witnessed further service in India before being discharged to the Army Reserve at Cape Colony on 13 September 1897. It is possible that he chose to live in South Africa as this appears to be the residence of his father at that time, who had formerly been employed on the Malmesbury and Kimberley extensions as a construction engineer (The South Africa Medical Journal, refers). It was also the home of his late brother, Dr. A. J. O. Tabuteau, who passed away at Cape Town aged just 34 years in 1895, in consequence of Bright's disease (ibid).

At the outbreak of the Boer War, Tabuteau likely assisted with raising the Kimberley Town Guard which was formed to defend the town from sudden attack. Appointed Lieutenant and later Captain, he was Mentioned in Despatches for doing 'good work' (London Gazette 8 May 1900, refers). He died of senility and mental disorder at Valkenberg Mental Hospital on 12 January 1941, his death certificate stating his former occupation as 'Pensioned Timekeeper, De Beers Diamond Co.', and his final address as Arlington Main Road, Lakeside.

Liverpool Medals November 1998 £495. Lockdales January 2009

Alfred Charles Hedger, a Londoner and serving Militiaman had originally joined the Cauliflowers in 1895 and I have to say that is where my money would go if I was wanting a basic Defence of Kimberley clasp, the only Imperial infantry presence available during the awful siege and precious few of them.




quote="djb" post=70540]
Picture courtesy of DNW

QSA (3) Defence of Kimberley, Orange Free State, Transvaal (4788 Pte. A. Hedger, 1st. L.N. Lanc. Regt.)
[ KSA (2) ]

Service papers exist.

Provenance: Glendining’s, May 1980.[/quote]

One of the surprises in today's auction was the two clasp medals to James Bevan of the Kimberley Light Horse who was involved in the 'bread run' to Paardeberg after the siege was lifted.



The KLH supplied 75 of the 174 recipients of the DoK and Paardeberg combination.