An unusual South Africa 1877-79 pair awarded to Private John Lloyd, 1/24th Foot, later Sergeant in the Old Wigan Volunteers, who, operating as a despatch rider, was ‘largely instrumental in obtaining assistance on the occasion of the massacre by Zulus of Europeans at Isandhlwana’

South Africa 1877-79, 1 clasp, 1877-8-9 (174. Pte. J. Lloyd. 1-24th Foot.); Volunteer Force Long Service Medal, E.VII.R. (2014 Sjt. J. Lloyd. 1/V.B. Manchester Regt.) suspension slack on the first, edge bruising and contact marks, otherwise nearly very fine (2) £2,000-£3,000

John Lloyd enlisted at Cardiff on 7 May 1874, aged 21. On completion of his service he resided at 223 Warrington Road, Lower Ince, Wigan, Lancashire, and was employed as a fireman at a colliery owned by the Pearson & Knowles Coal & Iron Company. He joined the 21st (Wigan) Rifle Volunteers in which he attained the rank of Sergeant; he was made an Honorary Member of the Sergeants’ Mess of the 1st V.B. Manchester Regiment (Wigan Detachment) on 1 January 1906, and also of the Sergeants’ Mess of the 5th Battalion, the Manchester Regiment on 1 January 1925. He died on 26 November 1925, aged 72, and is interred at Wigan Cemetery.

‘Ince Zulu War Veteran’s Death.
We regret to record the death, which occurred on Thursday last week, at his home, 223, Warrington-road, Lower Ince, of Sergt. John Lloyd, one of the veterans of the Zulu War, and an old member of the Wigan Volunteers. He was 72 years of age. As a time-serving man in the Regular Army he belonged to the old 24th Welsh Regt., and to the last he was imbued with a keen spirit of Esprit de Corps, being fond of singing, in both the Welsh and English languages (he was a native of the Principality), “All honour to the Old 24th.”
He had vivid recollections of the Zulu War, perhaps the chief incident connected with which was that he was on the spot the day following the disastrous massacre of Isandhlwana in 1879; as a despatch rider he rode out to where the massacre had taken place, and finding that the Europeans had suffered heavily he immediately returned, and set going the machinery for sending up military help. On leaving the Regular Army, in which he served as a private, he joined the old 21st Rifle Volunteers in Wigan, and later was a member of the old 1st Batt. Volunteers. He commenced his Volunteer service in the time of the late Sergt.-Major Butters in the early ‘nineties. On leaving the Regular Army he took up employment as as a colliery fireman with Messrs Pearson and Knowles. Mr Lloyd was an honorary member of the 5th Batt. Manchester Regt. Sergeants’ Mess.’

Sold with the following original documents:

(i) Large portrait photograph of Lloyd in later life wearing his South Africa medal
(ii) Original photographs of other family members (4) and of his grave (2)
(iii) Pearson & Knowles Coal & Iron Co. Dayman’s Pay Ticket in the amount of £1-8-10
(iv) Sergeants’ Mess membership cards for 1st V.B. Manchester Regiment and 5th Battn. The Manchester Regiment
(v) Two newspaper obituary notices, one as quoted above, the other headed ‘Death of Old Wigan Volunteer’ with similar details.