A fine Royal Red Cross and Order of St. John group of five attributed to Georgiana Elizabeth, Countess of Dudley
Royal Red Cross, 1st Class, V.R., silver-gilt, gold and enamel, with bow ribbon, in fitted Garrard, London case, lid inscribed, ‘Royal Red Cross, Georgiana Elizabeth, Countess of Dudley. 24. October 1902.’; The Order of St. John of Jerusalem, Dame of Justice shoulder badge, silver-gilt and enamel, with bow ribbon, in fitted Carrington, London case, lid inscribed, ‘St. John of Jerusalem, Georgiana Elizabeth, Countess of Dudley. 26. February 1902.’; Jubilee 1897, silver, unnamed, on modern bow; Coronation 1902, silver, unnamed, on bow ribbon, in Elkington, London case of issue, lid inscribed, ‘Coronation Medal 1902’; Order of the League of Mercy, badge, silver-gilt and enamel, unnamed, with ribbon, in Elkington, London case of issue, nearly extremely fine (5) £800-900

This lot was sold as part of a special collection, A Collection of Medals relating to the Boer War formed by two brothers.

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Georgiana Elizabeth Moncreiffe was born on 9 August 1846, the daughter of Sir Thomas Moncreiffe of that Ilk, 7th Baronet, and Lady Louisa Hay-Drummond. She married William Ward, 1st Earl of Dudley on 21 November 1865. William Ward was born on 27 March 1817, the son of William Humble Ward, 10th Baron Ward of Birmingham. He married firstly, Selina Constance de Burgh in 1851 and secondly, Georgiana Elizabeth Moncreiffe in 1865. He succeeded to the Barony in 1835, was created 1st Viscount Ednam in 1860 and 1st Earl of Dudley in 1860. By Georgiana Elizabeth, he had six sons and one daughter. The 1st Earl died at Dudley House, Park Lane, London, on 7 May 1885, and was succeeded by his eldest son, William.

Famed in society for her beauty, she was linked with many prominent men; Prince Bismarck’s son being her most ardent suitor. Although taking little interest in politics, she took great interest in the fate of Dr Jameson; following his adventures in South Africa she visited him in prison. She moved with ease in the highest echelons of society, being on friendly terms with Kaisar Wilhelm II, King Edward VII and Queen Alexandra. It was from the King she was granted a ‘grace and favour’ residence at Pembroke Lodge in 1903.

She was closely associated with the work of the Royal Red Cross, both during the Boer and Great Wars. In late 1900 she was involved in running the Mayfair nursing home for disabled officers under the auspices of the Red Cross. For her services she was awarded Order of St. St. John Dame of Justice in February 1902 and the Royal Red Cross 1st Class in October 1902. After the Great War, in 1920, the Red Cross said of her, ‘We find ourselves at a loss to express the obligations to Georgina (sic) Lady Dudley under which the officers themselves as well as the reputation of the Red Cross lie. She has been associated with work for convalescent officers since the South African War, and her labours which still continue, involved throughout the long years of the late War regular attendance at the office, not the few minutes daily but all day, and not as a patroness but as the competent and responsible director of the entire undertaking. The history of women’s work for the Red Cross in this country provides, so far as we are aware, no similar example of equally sustained labour producing results of the same value.’

Lady Dudley died at Pembroke Lodge in 1929, aged 82 years. With copied research including newspaper extracts.