TOPIC:

Michael Kaplan is advertising this medal in his next auction.

BSA Company Medal Matabeleland 1893 (Revered Mother JACOBA)

Born Marie Zirn in Wuerttemburg in Bavaria. In 1891 two groups of Dominican sisters travelled by ox wagon. Taking up duty in a primitive hospital in Salisbury. At the conclusion of the Matabele war of 1893 at the request of C.J. Rhodes arrived in Bulawayo to nurse the sick and injured from the Matabele War. They remained there during the 1896 rebellion. She remained in Rhodesia even after being recalled by her diocese.

She was awarded the Royal Red Cross by Queen Victoria in recognition to her service in 1898.

She died in King Williams Town in 1937.

This medal is very rare. Only 6 were awarded to Matrons and nuns.

refer Lot 64, DNW December 1991. looks problematical.

This medal to Rev Mother Jacoba must have been removed from the Dominican Sisters at some point. Stolen perhaps?

The full text of the auction RobCT referred to is below

Lot 64
Date of Auction: 4th December 1991
Sold for £960
Estimate: £600 - £800
The AA Upfill-Brown Collection
BRITISH SOUTH AFRICA COMPANY MEDAL 1890-97, reverse Matabeleland 1893 (Sister Octavia), extremely fine and rare
Footnote
Medals for Matabeleland were issued to the Reverend Mother Jacoba and the eight Nursing Nuns under her. Of these nine medals, all but two are accounted for in the Dominican convents at Johannesburg and King William's Town. The medal to Sister Octavia is the only one known in a private collection, the whereabouts of that to Sister Mechtild remain a mystery

Many years ago I was told that someone took a number of BSACM's from stores, and, using the original naming device, named them to significant participants of the Rhodesian troubles (e.g. officers, casualties, nuns etc). These 'duplicates' are indistinguishable from the genuine articles. They are referred to by the name of the alleged perpetrator of the fraud. I cannot vouch for this story.

Brett

Quite right Brett,
I know in May 1990 I was in Harare and met up with the Zimbabwe Medal Society who were keeping a providence register at that time. There was no "original naming device" since they are engraved. The spurious medals were named in a style similar to the official engravers. I have never heard that they were known by the perpetrator. Whether the Zimbabwe Medal Society is still functional I do not know nor do I know if the register is still maintained or if any of the medals were retrieved.
ATB
David

Thank you David. My memory tends to be selective about what happened before yesterday!
Regards
Brett