The important Zulu War R.R.C. pair awarded to Mrs. Jane C. Deeble, Superintendent of Nurses, Army Nursing Service, who was decorated by Queen Victoria at Windsor Castle on 5 July 1883

Royal Red Cross, 1st Class, V.R., gold and enamel, on lady’s bow riband; South Africa 1877-79, no clasp (Mrs. J. C. Deeble, ‘’Supert. of Nurses.”) nearly extremely fine (2) £2,400-£2,800

This lot was sold as part of a special collection, The Norman Gooding Collection.

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Buckland Dix & Wood, December 1991 (South Africa Medal only).

Jane Cecilia Deeble (née Egan) was born on 28 May 1827 and entered St Thomas’ Hospital as a Probationer in 1868. Joining the Army Nursing Service on 1 November 1869, she took appointment at Netley as Superintendent of Nurses and was later posted to South Africa for service during the Zulu War. The recipient’s Army Service Record at this time adds: ‘Specially reported on for conspicuously good service. Highly praised for her administrative capacity and thanked by command of the Queen.’

Invested at Windsor Castle from the hand of Her Majesty, Deeble’s R.R.C. was the tenth to be awarded following the inception of the decoration in 1883. Of the previous nine issues, eight had been bestowed upon ladies of royal or similar connections and the other on Florence Nightingale. Therefore, Mrs. Deeble’s R.R.C. must be considered the second to be awarded to an actual nurse.

Sold with copied research.