The G.B.E., K.C.V.O., C.B. group of eight awarded to Honorary Colonel Sir James Gildea, 4th (Special Reserve) Battalion Royal Warwickshire Regiment, founder of the Soldiers’ and Sailors’ Families Association

The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire, G.B.E. (Civil) Knight Grand Cross, 1st type set of insignia, sash badge, silver-gilt and enamel; breast star, silver, silver-gilt and enamel, with full sash, in Garrard, London case of issue; The Royal Victorian Order, K.C.V.O., Knight Commander’s set of insignia, neck badge, silver-gilt and enamel; breast star, silver, silver-gilt and enamel, both officially numbered, ‘42’, with neck cravat; The Most Honourable Order of The Bath, C.B. (Civil) Companion’s breast badge, silver-gilt, hallmarks for London 1895, complete with buckle on ribbon; The Order of St. John of Jerusalem, Knight of Justice insignia, neck badge and breast star, gold and enamel, with neck cravat; Jubilee 1897, silver (Colonel J. Gildea from Her Majesty The Queen); Coronation 1902, silver; Coronation 1911, silver; King Edward VII Medal for Science, Art and Music 1904, silver-gilt, good very fine and better (11) £3000-4000

This lot was sold as part of a special collection, Long Service Medals from the Collection formed by John Tamplin.

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James Gildea was born at Kilmaine, Co. Mayo, on 23 June 1838, the 3rd son of the Very Revd. George Robert Gildea, Provost of Tuam, Rector of Moylough and Rural Dean. He was educated at St Columba’s College, Ireland and was admitted as a Pensioner at Pembroke College, Cambridge, in 1855.

Gildea served in the Militia for many years. He was appointed a Lieutenant in the 2nd Regiment of Warwickshire Militia on 19 December 1862, and served in that unit and its successors until his death, eventually becoming Honorary Colonel. He was promoted to Captain in January 1866. In 1881 the unit became the 4th Battalion Royal Warwickshire Regiment. He was granted the honorary rank of Major in January 1883 and was promoted to that rank in December the same year. In April 1886 he was granted the honorary rank of Lieutenant-Colonel and was promoted to that rank in October 1890. Gildea was then granted the honorary rank of Colonel in November 1890. In 1898 the Battalion became the 6th Battalion Royal Warwickshire Regiment. Gildea retired with permission to retain his rank on 29 October 1898. In August 1908 he was appointed Honorary Colonel of the Battalion, which by then had been retitled the 4th (Special Reserve) Battalion Royal Warwickshire Regiment.

Gildea was a public philanthropist of note. He took part in the Franco-Prussian War of 1870-71 with an ambulance in the National Society for Aid to Sick and Wounded in War, acting as a Member of the Central Committee of the Society. He was mainly instumental in raising a fund of £12,000 for the relief of widows and orphans of those killed in the Zulu War of 1879, and he raised a similar fund in connection with the Afghan War of 1880; to these funds he acted as Treasurer and Honorary Secretary. He was Treasurer in England at the same time to the Indian Patriotic and Bombay Military Relief Funds and was Organising Secretary of Queen Victoria’s Jubilee Institute for Nurses, 1890-95.

Possibly his main occupation was with the Soldiers’ and Sailors’ Families Association, of which he was the Founder in 1885, and of which he became the Chairman, Treasurer and Trustee. Gildea also founded in connection with this Association the Officers Branch in 1886, the Nursing Branch in 1892, and the Clothing Branch in 1898. He was also instrumental in raising the ‘Serpent’ (in 1890), Edgar’ (in 1895), and Orwell (in 1903) Boat Funds, also the N.W. Frontier Fund in 1897, all of which were administered by the Association. During the Boer War over £1,250,000 was placed in the hands of the Association and administered by it. In the Great War, over £2,500,000 was similarly handled. In 1906 the Naval and Military Ladies’ Work Society was formed and affiliated to the Officers’ Branch of the Association.

He was a friend of King Edward VII and Queen Alexandra for many years, and the Queen supported the work of the Soldiers’ and Sailors’ Families Association closely and personally. Gildea was a Member of the Council of the Royal Patriotic Fund Corporation from 1903/04. He took an active part, being one of its promoters, in the St. John Ambulance Association, of which he was also Treasurer, and he was Assistant Almoner of the Order of St. John of Jerusalem. He was also a F.S.A. and a F.R.G.S.

For his many services Gildea was honoured. He was appointed a C.B. on 1 January 1898 as Chairman and Treasurer of the Soldiers’ and Sailors’ Families Association. On 19 March 1901 he was appointed a C.V.O. and on 18 December 1902 a Knighthood was conferred upon him. On 9 November 1908 he was promoted a K.C.V.O. and finally, on 30 March 1920 he was appointed a G.B.E. In addition, Gildea was one of the very few recipients of the King Edward VII’s Medal for Arts, Science and Music.

Colonel Sir James Gildea died on 6 November 1920, aged 82, at his home in Hogarth Road, S.W. London. His funeral was at Brookwood on 12 November, and a Memorial Service was held on the same day at St. Jude’s, Courtfield Gardens, S.W.5. Queen Alexandra sent a floral cross with a card in her own handwriting: ‘With the deepest regret and sorrow at the sudden death of our most beloved and unreplaceable friend, Sir James Gildea. “Well done, thou good and faithful servant; enter thou into the joy of thy Lord” - From Alexandra.’

Sold with original bestowal documents for the C.B., C.V.O., K.C.V.O. and G.B.E.; copied photographs, and a quantity of copied research on the recipient and the Soldiers’, Sailors’ and Airmen’s Families Association. See the following lot for the recipient’s miniature dress medals.