A Fine Collection of Boer War Medals to Medical Services, the Church and the Press

A rare and extremely well-documented post-War M.B.E., Boer War ‘Siege of Ladysmith’ R.R.C. and Great War ‘Mesopotamia’ Second Award Bar group of six awarded to Nursing Sister Miss Jessie P. Stow, Queen Alexandra’s Imperial Military Nursing Service Reserve, late Natal Volunteer Medical Corps, later Rhodesian Railways Nursing Service, who was awarded the R.R.C. for her services at the Intombi Camp Hospital during the Siege of Ladysmith; was Mentioned in Despatches during the Great War; and received her final honour in 1951, after a nursing career spanning over half a century

The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire, M.B.E. (Civil) Member’s 2nd type lady’s shoulder badge, silver, on lady’s bow riband, in Royal Mint case of issue; Royal Red Cross, 1st Class, V.R., silver-gilt, gold, and enamel, with Second Award Bar, on lady’s bow riband, in Garrard, London, case of issue; Queen’s South Africa 1899-1902, no clasp (Nursing Sister J. P. Stow.) officially re-impressed naming; King’s South Africa 1901-02, no clasp (Nursing Sister J. P. Stow.); British War and Victory Medals, with M.I.D. oak leaves (Sister J. P. Stow.) nearly extremely fine (6) £3,000-£4,000

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.B.E. London Gazette 1 January 1951.

R.R.C. London Gazette 31 October 1902.

R.R.C. Second Award Bar London Gazette 3 June 1919:
‘In recognition of valuable services with the British Forces in Mesopotamia.’

M.I.D. London Gazette 5 June 1919.

Miss Jessie Philipson Stow was born in South Africa in 1877 and was educated at the Diocesan School at Grahamstown. She did her nursing training at St. Bartholemew’s Hospital in London from 1895 to 1899, before returning to South Africa. She served with the Natal Volunteer Medical Corps during the Boer War, and was present throughout the Siege of Ladysmith at the Intombi Camp Hospital, and for her services was awarded the Royal Red Cross, First Class.

Miss Stow was Matron of Livingstone Hospital from 1908 to 1914, before joining Queen Alexandra’s Imperial Military Nursing Service Reserve, whom she served with during the Great War in Malta, Egypt, India, and Mesopotamia. For her services in Mesopotamia she was Mentioned in Despatches by Lieutenant-General Sir W. R. Marshall, and was awarded a Second Award Bar to her Royal Red Cross.

Post-War, Miss Stow served as Matron of the Government Hospital at Der-es-Salam, before taking up an appointment with the Rhodesian Railways Nursing Service in 1932. She was appointed a Member of the Order of the British Empire in the 1951 New Year’s Honours’ List, and finally retired in 1952. She died in Luansha, Northern Rhodesia, in 1962.

Sold with an extensive file of original documents, including the recipient’s original M.I.D. Certificate, dated 7 February 1919; various telegrams and letters regarding both the award of the R.R.C.; the Second Award Bar; and the M.B.E.; a large quantity of original letters, newspaper cuttings, and photographs; other ephemera, including the recipient’s napkin ring, this damaged, engraved ‘J.P.S. Malta Xmas 1915’; and copied research, including medal roll extracts.