Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

Medals to the Stopford family - the Earls of Courtown:

A Great War O.B.E. group of eight awarded to James Richard Neville Stopford, 7th Earl of Courtown

The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire, O.B.E. (Military) Officer’s 1st type breast badge, silver-gilt, hallmarks for London 1919; Queen’s South Africa 1899-1902, no clasp (Honble. R. Stopford); 1914-15 Star (Capt. Viscount Stopford); British War and Victory Medals, M.I.D. oak leaf (Capt. Vicount Stopford); Defence and War Medals, unnamed; Jubilee 1935, unnamed, mounted court style as worn; together with a Prize Medal, 45mm., silver, reverse inscribed, ‘Beaconsfield Flower Show Committee, The Hon. R. Stopford, 1909’, slight contact marks on B.W.M., otherwise good very fine

A military O.B.E. group of seven attributed to James Montagu Burgoyne Stopford, 8th Earl of Courtown

The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire, O.B.E. (Military) Officer’s 2nd type breast badge, silver-gilt; 1939-45 Star; Africa Star; Italy Star; Defence and War Medals, all unnamed; Efficiency Decoration, G.VI.R., 2nd issue, reverse officially dated ‘1949’, lacking top bar, partially mounted court style for wear, good very fine

Prize Medallion, 46mm., bronze, reverse inscribed, ‘Howell & James, Art, Pottery Exhibition 1885 Awarded to The Lady Charlotte Stopford’, this nearly extremely fine (17) £2200-2500

James Richard Neville Stopford was born on 16 September 1877. As eldest son of the 6th Earl of Courtown, he was given the courtesy title of Viscount Stopford. He was educated at Eton and Downton College. He served in the Second Boer War and remained in South Africa after 1901 employed in the Civil Service of the Transvaal and the Union of South Africa. He rejoined the Army as a Temporary Captain in 1915 and served on the Staff in France, 25 October 1915-30 November 1916, and at the War Office as Deputy Assistant Adjutant General and was mentioned in despatches (London Gazette 4 January 1917). For his wartime services he was appointed an O.B.E. in 1919. As a Major he was appointed an Assistant Secretary with the Imperial War Graves Commission in London. He became a Deputy Lieutenant for County Wexford and latterly was Mayor of Aylesbury and a Member of the Buckinghamshire County Council. With the death of his father in 1933 he succeeded as 7th Earl of Courtown, Viscount Stopford, Baron Courtown and Baron Saltersford. He married in 1905 Cicely Mary Birch, daughter of J. A. Birch and Viscountess Barrington, with whom he had three sons and four daughters. Latterly living at Redberry House, Bierton, Aylesbury and Marlfield, Gorey, Ireland, he died on 25 January 1957. With copied research.

James Montagu Burgoyne Stopford was born on 24 November 1908, the eldest son of the 7th Earl of Courtown. He was educated at Eton and was employed by Imperial Chemical Industries, 1928-70. He served during the Second World War and as a Major in the London Irish Rifles, was awarded the M.B.E. for his work in the Army Film and Photographic Section. After the war he was appointed Lieutenant-Colonel commanding the 1st Battalion London Irish Rifles (Royal Ulster Rifles) (T.A.), 1947-51. He was awarded the O.B.E. in 1950 and in the following year received the brevet of Colonel. He was appointed Deputy Lieutenant of the County of London in 1951. With the death of his father in 1957 he succeeded as 8th Earl of Courtown. He died on 23 July 1973 and was succeeded by his son. With copied research.