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Auction: 26001 - Orders, Decorations and Medals
Lot: 85

Sold for the Benefit of Charity

Scottish National Red Cross Hospital and St. Andrew’s Ambulance Association Tribute Medal 1900 (Grace M. Girdler), 30mm x 20mm, gold and enamel, good very fine and rare

Spink surface XRF tests the badge as 70% gold.

Ref. Hibbard J.7 - though it is listed as being only issued in silver.

Grace Margaret Girdler was born at Clapton, Gloucestershire in March 1869, the daughter of John and Sarah Girdler. The young Girdler was educated at Shoreditch Industrial School and was working as a Staff Nurse at the Billing Road General Infirmary, Northampton in 1891. She was working in the Glasgow Fever and Smallpox Hospital on Kennedy Street when the Anglo-Boer War began and joined the Army Nursing Service Reserve.

Having been mobilised she served with the Scottish National Red Cross Hospital and earned a Queen's South Africa Medal with clasps for Cape Colony and Orange Free State. The bulk of those who served with this unit returned to Glasgow in 1901 where they were presented with the Tribute Medal by General Sir Archibald Hunter. Whilst relatively few examples are known to the market it appears that nurses earned gold badges, medical students (serving as 1st Class Orderlies) silver and any other staff bronze stars.

'The presentation of South African medals and commemorative badges to the members of the staff of the Scottish National Red Cross Hospital took place yesterday in the Queen's Rooms, Glasgow. General Sir Archibald Hunter, K.C.B., Commanding the Forces in Scotland, presented the medals, while her Grace, the Duchess of Montrose handed over the commemorative badges, which were the gift of the Scottish Red Cross Society. The recipients included the surgeons, the nurses, and the orderlies, and they numbered 96 in all. Many of the orderlies were medical students. In the case of the half-dozen nurses, commemorative badges only were presented, the "sisters" having already received their medals from the King. The ceremony attracted a crowded audience, while many hundreds more assembled outside the hall to obtain a glimpse of the distinguished visitors who had come to honour the civilian heroes of the war.'

(The Scotsman, 30th October 1901 refers)

Those present for the ceremony appear to have earned the Freedom of the City of Glasgow as well whereas those who remained in South Africa did not. Girdler did not however she is noted upon the Medal as 'Remained in S. Africa in Government Service' so presumably missed the ceremony. It is unclear if Girdler returned to Britain as she does not appear on any further census forms however she died in Napier, Hawke's Bay, New Zealand in 1950 so may very well have emigrated after the war; sold together with copied research including medal rolls and census data.

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Estimate
£1,000 to £1,400

Starting price
£900