Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

The Orders and Medals attributed to P. E. Lembcke, Peruvian Army, later Peru’s Consular General and Charge d’affaires in London

Coronation 1902, silver, unnamed as issued; Coronation 1911, silver, unnamed as issued; Peru, Republic, Cross for Callao (1866), being a five pointed star, silver and enamel, damage to enamel and one finial ball bent; Spain, Kingdom, Order of Isabella the Catholic, Grand Cross Star, silver, gold and enamel, in case of issue, damage to red enamel on second arm; Peru, Republic, Veterans Society Commemorative Medal for the 1866 Battle of Callao, silver-gilt; Veterans Society Commemorative Medal for the 1879 Battle of Tarapaca, silver-gilt, generally very fine (6) £400-£500

Provenance: Acquired by the vendor direct from the great granddaughter of the recipient.

Pedro Eduardo Lembcke was born in Lima in 1846 into a family with origins in Prussia. He served as an officer in the Peruvian Army, participating in the Battle of Callao in 1866 against the Spanish during the Cincha Islands War. He later took part in the War of the Pacific against Chile, being present at the Battle of Tarapacá in 1879 following which, with Peru under pressure after the withdrawal of their Bolivian allies, Chilean forces marched on Lima where they met the remains of the Peruvian forces at Miraflores in January 1881. Here Lembcke served as second in command of the 12th Reserve Battalion holding redoubt No. 7. The battle, a bloody affair which saw both sides losing about thirty percent of their combatants, culminated in a defeat for the Peruvians, and the Chileans occupied Lima.

Leaving his military career behind him, Lembcke turned to commerce and, in 1886, he took his family to London where, as befitting a wealthy merchant, they lived in some comfort, renting a property on Queen Anne’s Gate and employing eight servants. In 1895 he was appointed as Consul-General of Peru at London - there was at that time no Peruvian ambassador to the Court of St. James as these duties were covered by a resident minister based in Paris:
‘The resident representative of the Republic in London is Senor Don Eduardo Lembcke, Charge d'Afaires and Consul-General. The Legation is at 104, Victoria Street, S.W. Senor Don Lembcke is a highly cultured and accomplished man, well versed in diplomatic matters, and both speaking and writing English with great fluency and accuracy. Senor Lembcke creates an immediately favourable and sympathetic impression with all who have business with the Legation, and his ability in dealing with the complicated questions which not infrequently arise, show him to be a thorough man of the world’. (Peru Of The Twentieth Century by Percy F. Martin, F.R.G.S refers)

Now moving in very fashionable circles, in 1902 Lembcke attended the Coronation of King Edward VII and in 1906, Senora de Lembcke, as the wife of the Peruvian Charge d’affaires, was invited to launch the cruiser ‘Coronel Bolognesi’ which was built by Vickers at Barrow for the Peruvian Navy. After the launch she was given a gold bracelet, set with emeralds, as a souvenir of the occasion.

Lembcke was also present at the funeral of King Edward VII in 1910, as one of the 25 dignitaries who walked behind the carriage bearing HM Queen Alexandra and the Empress Maria Feodorovna of Russia during the procession to Westminster Abbey. The following year he was present the coronation of HM King George V.

In 1912, following the upgrading of the status of the Peruvian embassy, Don Carlos Lembcke became Peru’s Minister Plenipotentiary, a diplomat of the second class, ranking between an Ambassador and a Minister Resident. He retired late during the Great War due to poor health and died in 1919.

On 27th September 1919, the Catholic News Weekly, reported:
‘We regret to announce the death of Mr. Edward Lembcke, a Knight of the Order of St. Isabella the Catholic, which sad event took place on the 17th inst., at the age of seventy-four, at his residence, 121, Cromwell Road, S.W. Mr. Lembcke had been ill for some time, but the end came rather suddenly, to the deep sorrow of a very large circle of friends, by whom he was extremely respected. He was well known in British and South American diplomatic and commercial circles, and during the war did a great deal of active and useful work for the Allies' cause in various parts of South America. The funeral took place on Monday, at St. Mary's Cemetery, Kensal Green, after a Requiem at the Church of Our Lady of Victories, Kensington, celebrated by Father Dillon Doyle. The chief mourners were: Mrs. E. Lembcke (widow), Major Charles E. Lembcke, D.S.O., of the Intelligence Department, War Office (son), and Mrs. C. E. Lembcke, and Miss Lembcke (daughter). Two other sons, Mr. Richard Lembcke, and Mr. Michael Lembcke and Mrs. M. Lembcke, being abroad, were unable to attend.—R.I.P.’

For the recipient’s son’s medals see lot 183

For the recipient’s miniature medals see lot 722.