Orders, Decorations and Medals

The important campaign and Colonial Administrator’s group awarded to Major-General Sir Archibald Anson, K.C.M.G., Royal Artillery, Governor of Penang and Administrator of the Government of the Straits Settlements, and in charge of the Expedition in Sungei Ujong and Negri Sambilan during the Perak Campaign 1875-76

The Most Distinguished Order of St. Michael and St. George, K.C.M.G., Knight Commander’s neck badge in gold and enamels, and breast star in silver with appliqué centre in gold and enamels; Crimea 1854-56, 1 clasp, Sebastopol (Captain, Royal Arty.) contemporary engraved naming; India General Service 1854-95, 1 clasp, Perak (Maj. Genl., R.A. (Administrator of the Govt.)); Order of the Medjidie, 5th class breast badge, silver, gold and enamel; Turkish Crimea 1855, Sardinian issue, unnamed, the group mounted as worn, together with his ceremonial Tipstaff as Inspector General of Police in Mauritius 1858-67, this with gilt crown finial and ivory mid-section by Parker Field & Sons, London, inscribed ‘Inspector General’, the group mounted as worn, good very fine (7) £3000-3500

This lot was sold as part of a special collection, The Richard Schweder Collection of Medals for Campaigns in Malaysia.

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Archibald Edward Harbord Anson was born in London on 16 April 1826, son of General Sir William Anson, Bt., K.C.B. He entered the Royal Artillery in 1844, and served in the Crimean Campaign from May to September 1855, including the siege of Sebastopol, in the Trenches with the siege train, and at the bombardments of 6th and 17th June (Medal with clasp, 5th class of the Medjidie and Turkish Medal). After being invalided from the Crimea, via Scutari Hospital, Anson was appointed to a civil post in Mauritius as Inspector General of Police from 1858 to 1867. In 1862, he was employed on a special mission to Madagascar to represent H.M. Queen Victoria at the coronation of King Radema II, being awarded on this occasion the neck badge of the Order of Radema.

Anson was appointed Lieutenant Governor of Penang in 1867, and held the position of Administrator of the Government of the Straits Settlements in 1871-72, 1877 and 1879. During 1875-76, he conducted the successful military operations for repelling the invasion of the State of Sungei Ujong, and for the occupation of Sree Menanti and Negri Sambilan, etc., in the Malay Peninsula (Medal with clasp, appointed C.M.G.). Anson retired from the Army as Major-General in 1879, and from his position as Governor of Penang in 1882, in which year he was also made a K.C.M.G. in recognition of these services.

Anson is commemorated in Singapore by a main road, and in Malaysia by the town of Telok Anson. He also had the dubious honour of having an insect named after him - Ansonia Penangensis. The General later wrote about this honour, ‘I was curious to know what I was honoured by having my name attached to. On looking up the number on the plate referred to, I found the likeness of a frog standing on its hind legs with its knees bent outwards, its toes ditto, and its arms bent at the elbows, and pointing upwards with all its fingers extended. I felt proud of my namesake, as may be imagined.’ His first wife having died in 1891, Anson remarried at the age of eighty, and when he was ninety-four, published his autobiography titled About Others and Myself 1745-1920. This remarkable old Gunner General died on 26 February 1925, a few weeks short of his 99th birthday.