Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

A Boer War M.V.O. and Order of St John group of five awarded to J. G. Hamilton, Esq., Honorary Civilian Director of Imperial Yeomanry Hospitals, afterwards a Member of the Legislative Assembly for Transvaal and Lieutenant-Colonel Commanding the Witwatersrand Rifles 1903-05

The Royal Victorian Order, M.V.O., Member’s 4th Class, breast badge, silver-gilt and enamels, the reverse officially numbered ‘106’; The Order of St. John of Jerusalem, Knight of Grace, set of insignia, comprising neck badge, silver and enamel, and breast star, silver and enamel with gold pin for wearing; Queen’s South Africa 1899-1902, 3 clasps, Cape Colony, Orange Free State, Transvaal (Director J. G. Hamilton, I.Y., Hp. Staff.) officially engraved naming; King’s South Africa 1901-02, 2 clasps, South Africa 1901, South Africa 1902 (Director & Treas: J. G. Hamilton, I.Y. Hosp:) officially engraved naming; Union of South Africa Medal 1910, unnamed as issued, minor enamel chips to the first, otherwise toned, extremely fine (6) £1,800-£2,200

This lot was sold as part of a special collection, A Fine Collection of Boer War Medals to Medical Services, the Church and the Press.

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M.V.O. London Gazette 20 February 1903: ‘John Gardiner Hamilton, Esq., Honorary Civilian Director of the Imperial Yeomanry Hospitals, South Africa.’

Knight of Grace, Order of St John London Gazette 8 May 1903.

John Gardiner Hamilton was born in 1859, fourth son of James Hamilton, of New Park, County Mayo. He was educated at Croom’s High School, Greenwich, Merchant Taylor’s School, London, and privately. He entered the British Civil Service and was up to 1889 in the General Post Office, London. He afterwards went to South Africa where he settled in Johannesburg and became chairman and director of several Transvaal companies. He was three times Vice-president of the Transvaal Chamber of Mines (elected President in 1912). He was appointed Hon. Director and Treasurer in South Africa of the Imperial Yeomanry Hospitals during the Boer War of 1899-1902 (mentioned in despatches; Queen’s medal with three clasps, and King’s medal with two clasps; created M.V.O. (4th Class) 1903.). He was employed in China in connection with the supply of Chinese labour for the Rand Mines; and, in 1907, was elected Member of the Legislative Assembly (Opposition Chief Whip) of the Transvaal for Springs District for the duration of the life of that parliament; Lieutenant-Colonel Commanding Witwatersrand Rifles 1903-05, and thereafter Honorary Colonel until death; was a J.P. for the district of Pretoria, was a Knight of Grace of the Order of St John of Jerusalem in England, and held the Union of South Africa medal. He died on 1 July 1912.

Sold with copied research including official copy of a letter to Lord Kitchener from the Countess Howe [Patron of the Imperial Yeomanry Hospital fund] in September 1901, bringing forward the name of Mr J. G. Hamilton for his valuable services services with Imperial Yeomanry Hospitals, and for consideration that they be recognised with some honour. An original recommendation for the C.M.G. was struck from the list after the extent of his contribution was somewhat witheringly reduced by Sir Ian Hamilton to the short statement that he had “Lent a palatial mansion & extensive grounds for nearly two years to the Military for a Hospital.”