A Choice Collection of Medals and Other Items Relating to The Defence of Kimberley

Three: Captain C. A. Blackbeard, Beaconsfield Town Guard, late Diamond Fields Horse, an important figurehead in Kimberley’s history: as the Mayor of Beaconsfield, he was instrumental in persuading Kekewich not to abandon that place during the siege, in addition to lending valuable service as Captain & Adjutant of that town’s guard - he was mentioned in despatches
South Africa 1877-79, 1 clasp, 1878 (Tpr. C. A. Blackbeard, Diamond Fds. Horse); Queen’s South Africa 1899-1902, 1 clasp, Defence of Kimberley (Capt. & Adjt. C. A. Blackbeard, Kimberley T.G.); Mayor of Kimberley’s Star 1899-1900, reverse hallmark with date letter ‘a’, complete with suspension brooch, nearly extremely fine (3) £1200-1500

This lot was sold as part of a special collection, A Choice Collection of Medals and Other Items Relating to The Defence of Kimberley.

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Charles Alexander Blackbeard was born in Grahamstown in December 1848, the grandson of British settlers from the 1820 contingent. He came to Diamond Fields in 1871, and established himself as a prominent and successful digger at New Rush (afterwards Kimberley) and Du Toitspan (afterwards Beaconsfield), where he took up residence for more than 30 years and became Director of a number of mining companies. And as verified in the Beaconsfield Budget, during the rebellion of 1875 ‘he was one of the volunteers who defended the gaol at the point of the bayonet against all malcontents; he also took part in the suppression of the Griqua Rebellion in 1878 and was present at the fight at Griquatown’.

During the siege of Kimberley, Blackbeard was Mayor of Beaconsfield as well as Captain & Adjutant of the Beaconsfield Town Guard, in which capacity he was instrumental in having Kekewich reverse his decision to abandon the town to the Boers if necessary and let the inhabitants retreat to Kimberley. He was duly mentioned in Kekewich’s despatches (London Gazette 8 May 1900 refers):

‘Captain C. A. Blackbeard, Beaconsfield Town Guard, has done much good work in connection with the interior economy of the Beaconsfield Town Guard and keeping order in the township of Beaconsfield.’ Blackbeard was re-elected as Mayor in 1902, the seventh time he held that office, and on retirement in August 1904 moved to Kroonstad. He died in 1918.

Sold with an original La Panouse Exploring Syndicate share certificate, in the name of ‘Charles A. Blackbeard’, dated 14 September 1898, and a large file of copied research, containing testimonials, newspaper articles, obituaries, share certificates and much besides, including copied pages from a family photograph album; also see Lot 521 for his son’s awards.