Orders, Decorations and Medals

An interesting K.C.V.O., C.B.E. group of six awarded to Sir Harry Boyd, Assistant Private Secretary to four successive Secretaries of State, formerly a Private in the Shanghai Volunteers during the Boxer Rebellion

The Royal Victorian Order, K.C.V.O., neck badge and breast star, silver, silver-gilt and enamels, both pieces officially numbered ‘K576’; The Order of the British Empire, C.B.E. (Civil) 1st type neck badge; China 1900, no clasp (Pte., Shanghai Vols.); Jubilee 1935; Coronation 1937; China, Order of the Golden Grain, breast badge, silver-gilt and enamels, the last four mounted as worn and all contained in a specially fitted case by Garrard, the outer lid embossed ‘Sir Harry Boyd, K.C.V.O., C.B.E.’, nearly extremely fine (7) £1200-1400

See colour illustration on back cover.

Sir Harry Robert Boyd was the Ceremonial Secretary at the Home Office since 1925, and Registrar of the Baronetage since 1932. He was born on 13 February 1876, and educated at Haileybury and St Paul’s. He was engaged in business in Shanghai from 1899 to 1911, and volunteered for service during the Boxer Rebellion in 1900; attached to the Ministry of Finance, Peking, 1914 (Order of the Golden Grain); Assistant Private Secretary to the Under-Secretary of State, Home Office, 1915-17 (O.B.E.); Deputy Assistant Secretary, Ministry of National Service, 1917; Assistant secretary 1918 (C.B.E.); attached War Cabinet, Rehabilitation of Trade section, 1919; Assistant Private secretary to successive Secretaries of State, Mr Shortt, Viscount Bridgeman, Mr Arthur Henderson, and Viscount Brentford, 1919-25. In his capacity as Ceremonial and Reception Secretary to the Home Secretary, he was made a C.V.O. in June 1924, and a K.C.V.O. in July 1935; Joint Secretary, King George V Silver Jubilee Committee, 1935, and Member, King George VI Coronation Executive Committee, 1936-37. Sir Harry Boyd died on 9 March 1940.