A Collection of Medals to the 24th Foot

The South Africa 1877-79 medal awarded to Private Thomas Lockhart, a member of “B” Company, 2nd Battalion, 24th Foot, who was present at the defence of Rorke’s Drift on the night of 22nd-23rd January 1879

South Africa 1877-79, 1 clasp, 1877-8-9 (1176. Pte. T. Lockhart. 2-24th Foot.) one very minor rim bruise, otherwise extremely fine and rare £16,000-£20,000

This lot was sold as part of a special collection, A Collection of Medals to the 24th Foot.

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Purchased from Peter Ireland Ltd, April 1977, and held continuously until now offered.

Thomas Lockhart was born in the Parish of St Michael, Manchester, and enlisted for the 25th Brigade at Derby on 6 February 1877, aged 19 and a fitter by trade. He joined the Regiment at Brecon on 10 February 1877, where he was assigned to the 2nd Battalion 12 days later. He served at the Cape of Good Hope from 1 February 1878, taking part in the Kaffir War of that year and the Zulu War of 1879. His presence with “B” Company at the defence of Rorke’s Drift is confirmed on Chard’s roll, Bourne’s amended roll, and on Dunbar’s list. Despite not arriving in South Africa until February 1878, the medal roll confirms that he was issued with the clasp for ‘1877-8-9’. He afterwards served at Gibraltar and returned to England on 11 August 1880. In September 1881, whilst at Colchester, he was attacked and badly beaten by other soldiers and received a blow on the head which caused him to suffer from epilepsy. Following an examination by an invaliding board at Colchester on 30 January 1882, his epilepsy was found to be of a ‘permanent nature’, being ‘induced by an injury to the head received at the hands of soldiers of the Colchester Garrison who waylaid and maliciously ill-treated him without provocation and notice - causing a fracture of the orbit and displacement of certain other bones’. It was considered that his disability would ‘very seriously interfere with his powers of supporting himself’. He was consequently found unfit for further service and discharged on 18 February 1882, stating his intention to reside at 41 Butler Street, Manchester, the home of his mother. A second Injury Assessment Board held at the Royal Hospital, Chelsea, on 13 June 1882, confirmed the above medical findings. The Court of Inquiry found the injury had taken place when absent when not on duty - ha had broken out of barracks. He was awarded a pension of 6 pence per diem for 8 months. According to the Regimental Journal of 1938, Thomas Lockhart was then still alive.

Sold with research conducted by Peter Gaston for Messrs. Peter Ireland Ltd in July 1976, together with Registered envelope from Peter Ireland addressed to the late R. Hopkins with original Invoice for £1500, and some additional research including copied discharge papers and correspondence with a Lockhart descendant, all contained in a Peter Ireland stock file for this medal.