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Auction: 23113 - Orders, Decorations and Medals - e-Auction
Lot: 93

A fascinating British South Africa Company Medal awarded to Lieutenant H. A. Lowther, Matabeleland Relief Force, Grandson of the 2nd Earl of Lonsdale and son of a prominent M.P., who took to adventuring early in life, running a Montana ranch before seeing military action in Rhodesia

British South Africa Company 1890-97, reverse Rhodesia 1896 (Lieut. H. A. Lowther. M.R.F.), mounted for wear by Spink & Son, minor wear, overall very fine

One of 29 Lieutenants in the Matabeleland Relief Force.

Henry Arthur Lowther was born on 26 July 1863, the third son of the Right Honourable William Lowther, Member of Parliament for Campsea Ash, Suffolk. His Great-Grandfather was the 1st Baron Lonsdale, whose wearing Military General Service Medal was sold in these rooms on 29 November 2023.

Educated at Charterhouse between 1878-80, he was later commissioned Lieutenant with the 3rd (Militia) Battalion, Bedfordshire Regiment. However, it seems he did not take to military life as he is noted as emigrating to the United States where he became a cattle rancher.

Lowther was to see service in the Matabele Campaign of 1878-80 with the Matabeleland Relief Force; this unit was raised by Lieutenant-Colonel H. C. Plumer in South Africa and comprised a mixture of paid volunteers and professional troops. We might surmise from this that Lowther had moved on from America to South Africa, perhaps with farming there in mind. He was not to remain there however, but returned to Britain and died at Bicester, Oxfordshire on 20 December 1929 after a fall from his horse; sold together with copied and handwritten information from the Charterhouse Register and Peerage and Baronetage listing.

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Sold for
£520

Starting price
£170