Orders, Decorations and Medals

Three: Serjeant Frederick Stembridge, Cape Mounted Rifles

Queen’s South Africa 1899-1902, 3 clasps, Cape Colony, Orange Free State, Transvaal (1330 Serjt., Cape M.R.); King’s South Africa 1901-02, 2 clasps (1330 Serjt., Cape M.R.); Cape of Good Hope L.S. & G.C., V.R. (1330 3rd Cl. Sgt., Cape Mtd. Rifles) mounted court style for display, nearly extremely fine, scarce (3) £900-1000

This lot was sold as part of a special collection, An Extensive Collection of Medals for Long and Meritorious Service.

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Collection

Ex Upfill-Brown Collection, B.D.W. 4 December 1991.

Only about 100 Cape of Good Hope Long Service and Good Conduct medals issued with the Victoria obverse.

Sergeant Frederick William Stembridge was born at Ilminster in Somerset on 23 August 1861 and volunteered for the Cape Mounted Rifles in England in 1879. He joined his unit at Umtata and over the next few years travelled extensively in South Africa. Among other interesting achievements, he is credited with escorting Cecil Rhodes into Rhodesia in 1890, in addition to chasing General Smuts out of the Cape to O'Okiep after the latter mounted a raid during the Boer War. He was finally discharged in 1903, having notched up over twenty years service, and accompanied John Merriman on his travels around South Africa. Stembridge next joined the Police at Hermanus and travelled around the country as a relief gaoler. In 1914 he left the police and became a Doorman at the Parliament House, Cape Town. Another appointment followed at the Old Supreme Court before he became Caretaker at the Law Courts in Kerron Street. He died in this position during late 1935, having been in Government service for 52 years.

Sold with an original group photograph of Cape Mounted Riflemen which includes Private Stembridge; a note dated 4 May 1903, from the Officer Commanding ‘E’ Squadron of the Cape Mounted Riflemen to Mr. F. Stembridge, Sterkstroom, transmitting his Discharge Certificate (not with lot), and a two-page handwritten letter signed by Stembridge at Hermanus, 22 August 1911, to the Resident Magistrate at Caledon concerning his pension. Also included are notes (perhaps by Tony Upfill-Brown) entitled ‘Life of Frederick William Stembridge’.