Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

A rare South Africa 1877-79, China 1900 and Shanghai Jubilee group of three awarded Captain E. P. Wickham, Shanghai Volunteers, who served as Officer Commanding, Light Horse Section, and who had previously served as Acting Transport Officer during the Zulu War

South Africa 1877-79, 1 clasp, 1879 (Ac. T’port. Officer. Mr E. P. Wickham); China 1900, no clasp (Capt: E. P. Wickham, Shanghai Vols:) middle initial officially corrected; Shanghai Jubilee Medal 1893 (E. P. Wickham.) small edge nick to first, otherwise nearly extremely fine and a rare combination of awards (3) £2,200-£2,600

Edward Provis Wickham was born in Stoke Damerel, Devon, in 1861, the son of Major Edward Thomas Wickham, 61st Foot, who had served in the Punjab 1848-9 campaign and the Indian Mutiny. Baptised in Somerset on 12 September 1861, he served in the Zulu War as an Acting Transport Officer, Commissary and Transport. Given his later employment, and the fact that he appears as a civilian on his medal, he was presumably working in a similar roll in South Africa at the outbreak of the Zulu War.

By 1891 Wickham had moved to Shanghai and was a Captain Shanghai Municipal Volunteers Corps, having been promoted on 20 October 1891. In 1892 he is listed as Master (Freemason) of the Shanghai Tuscan Lodge No. 1027, and as of 31 December 1892 is listed as Captain and Adjutant Shanghai Municipal Volunteers Corps. In 1898 he is noted as a Broker, Wheelock & Co. Auctioneers, Coal, Ship, Oil and Freight Brokers, French Bund. Wei-te-foong. He is also noted as Treasurer of the Cricket Club and Hon. Secretary of the Shanghai Choral Society. Lieutenant Shanghai Municipal Volunteers Corps, 21 January 1898 – had presumably resigned at some point between 1893 and 1897. He was appointed Captain commanding the Light Horse, Shanghai Municipal Volunteers Corps, on 27 August 1898- the strength of the unit was 3 Officers, 29 N.C.O’s, and Men. He resigned on 4 July 1901, and died in Shanghai after a lingering illness on 18 January 1902. His obituary read:

‘Mr. E. P. Wickham, late Captain of the Light Horse, died on the 18th January and was buried with military honours on the 20th. All the officers of the Corps, the Foreign officers of the garrison and a large number of the Corps attended.’

Sold with copy medal rolls and various Shanghai Volunteers reports on CD.