Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

The group of three miniature dress medals worn by Father F. T. Richartz, Head of the Jesuit Mission at Chishawasha, Mashonaland

British South Africa Company Medal 1890-97, reverse Rhodesia 1896, no clasp (Rev. Father F. T. Richartz. S.R.); Vatican, Holy See, Cross of Mentana 1867, silver; Vatican, Holy See, Papal Bene Merenti Medal, Leo XII, bronze, nearly extremely fine (3) £80-120

Father Francis T. Richartz was Head of Mission at Chishawasha, in Mashonaland. Founded in 1891 the Jesuit mission was granted over 25,000 acres of land about 25 kilometres north-east of Salisbury (now Harare) by the British South Africa Company. In July 1892 the first band of seven missionaries arrived, including Father Richartz and six Brothers.

The first site of the mission, near Mtenje stream, was rife with malaria, and two Fathers died within four years, and four more within the next three years. A brick and thatch community house and chapel were built followed by farm buildings and ploughing the land. The school was initially opened for boys only in 1893 and it started as a farm school. The school was approved by the colonial government in 1894 (with girls later admitted in 1898).

In June 1896 the Mashona Uprising broke out, and despite the missionaries being warned, they decided they could defend their property and themselves. The Zambesi Mission Record gives the following:

‘In October, 1897, Chishawasa was at a critical period of its career. Some fifteen or sixteen months before, the Fathers and the Brothers at the station were attacked by their own natives, had to seek refuge in an upper storey of their premises and sustain a siege at the hands of those who would have murdered them without mercy, but whose efforts were fortunately frustrated. Their cattle were all driven off; they themselves were rescued by a patrol sent from Salisbury, where they went through the perilous and inconvenient experiences of the days of the laager. Meanwhile, Chisawasha was left unprotected for the natives to do with as they liked. Fortunately they spared the buildings, though it would have been easy to have fired them, as at the time nearly all the roofs were of thatch.

When, after the weary days of the laager, the Fathers and Brothers came back to their home the prospects were black indeed.’

The Jesuits had in fact spent five weeks in Salisbury, where they suffered some abuse for being friends of the Mashona. The first relief party, led by Captain St. Hill, had been forced to turn back on the outskirts of what is now the suburb of Highlands, but early on 25th June, Captain Taylor of the Natal Troop, with 43 men and a Maxim gun reached Chishawasha Mission. The mission had been evacuated within half an hour.

A new chapel was built in 1898, and a new church in 1902. The latter is still standing.

For the full-sized medals worn by Father Richartz, see Lot 1105.