The AA Upfill-Brown Collection

A scarce long service group of three to Sergeant F. Stembridge, Cape Mounted Rifles

QUEEN'S SOUTH AFRICA 1899-1902, 3 clasps, Cape Colony, Orange Free State, Transvaal(Serjt., Cape M.R.); KING'S SOUTH AFRICA, 2 clasps (Serjt., Cape M.R.); CAPE OF GOOD HOPE LONG SERVICE AND GOOD CONDUCT, V.R. (3rd Cl. Sgt., Cape Mtd. Rifles), mounted court style for display, about extremely fine and very scarce (3)

This lot was sold as part of a special collection, The AA Upfill-Brown Collection.

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Sergeant Frederick William Stembridge was born at Ilminster in Somerset on 23 August 1861 and volunteered for the Cape Mounted Rifles in England in 1879, although two stone overweight. He joined his unit at Umtara and over the next few years travelled extensively in South Africa. Among other interesting achievements, he is credited with escorting Cecil Rhodes into Rhodesia in 1890, in addition to chasing General Smuts out of the Cape to O'Okiep after the latter mounted a raid. He was finally discharged in 1903, having notched up over twenty years service, and accompanied John Merriman on his travels around South Africa. Stembridge next joined the Police at Hermanus and in 1914 he became the Doorman at Parliament House, Cape Town. Another appointment followed at the Old Supreme Court before he became Caretaker at the Law Courts in Kerron Street. He died in this position during late 1935, having been in Government service for 52 years. Approximately 100 Victorian Cape of Good Hope Long Service medals issued.