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Auction: 25003 - Orders, Decorations and Medals
Lot: 315

The mounted C.B., K.B.E., C.M.G., K. St. J. group of nine miniature dress medals attributed to Lieutenant-Colonel J. W. Leigh-Wood, French Red Cross, who was 'mentioned' for his work in Prisoner of War camps during the Anglo-Boer War before working with the French Red Cross during the Great War

The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire, Knight Commander's (K.B.E.) Badge; The Most Honourable Order of the Bath; Companion's (C.B.) breast Badge; The Most Distinguished Order of St. Michael and St. George, Companion's (C.M.G.) breast Badge; The Most Venerable Order of St. John, Knight's (K.St.J.) Badge; Queen's South Africa 1899-1902, no clasp; British War and Victory Medals 1914-20; Belgium; Order of Leopold II, Commander's Badge, silver-gilt and enamel; Argentinian, Republic, Merit Medal, mounted as worn, sold together with an Amicable Society of Blues, medal engraved 'Lt Col J. Leigh-Wood. CB., CMG President 1918', the first with some enamel wear, the obverse central badge of the eighth missing, otherwise very fine (8)

K.B.E. London Gazette 9 June 1919.

C.B. London Gazette 3 June 1918.

C.M.G. London Gazette 26 June 1903.

'Care of Prisoners of War, Pretoria'

K. St. J. London Gazette 4 February 1919.

M.I.D. London Gazette 17 June 1902.

'Care of Prisoners of War, Pretoria'

Order of Leopold II Edinburgh Gazette 2 November 1917, permission to wear granted on 24 October 1917.

James William Leigh-Wood was born at Marylebone on 5 April 1870, the son of James and Ellen Wood, he added the Leigh to his name in 1918. Educated at Christ's Hospital he joined the Amicable Society of Blues upon leaving. Gaining employment with Cox and Company, a banking firm, at the age of 18 he rose through their ranks becoming an extremely well-respected businessman, at this time he also joined the Royal Empire Society.

Leigh-Wood was heavily involved in the Anglo-Boer War, working to care for Prisoners of War in Pretoria. The conditions in which the prisoners had kept was under serious review in Britain and a number of British civilians had volunteered to aid the Boer's kept in the concentration camps. He was 'mentioned' for these services and later appointed a C.M.G. to go with it in 1902.

Joining a partnership with the merchant bankers Brown, Shipley and Company in 1908 he was to work with this company for the next thirty years. Still there on the outbreak of the Great War, Leigh-Wood once again threw himself into aid work, this time for Allied soldiers. He was involved in a number of ways however qualified for medals as a Commandant of the French Red Cross, entering the in France in May 1916.

After the war Leigh-Wood became chairman of the Federation of the Empire Games on its establishment in 1929 and head of its Council in England. Accompanying the team to Canada in 1930 he was involved in the later organisation of additional Games in London and Sydney. That same year he was appointed a Lieutenant for the City of London.

Retiring from Brown, Shipley and Company in 1937 Leigh-Wood accepted the Deputy Chairmanship of the Eastern Bank and took a seat on the London Board of Advice of the National Bank of Australasia. He was also appointed a Director of the Commercial Union Assurance Company.

In addition to these appointments he was a Liveryman of the Goldsmiths' Company and a governor of Christ's Hospital and St. Bartholomew's Hospital. At the time of his death in Mayfair on 21 March 1949 he was Vice President of the Royal Empire Society

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Estimate
£200 to £300

Starting price
£160