15929705970001312637261000Standard Recordobject-141528170534539862717053297470001705345377090fitz-onlineadlib-object-141528https://data.fitzmuseum.cam.ac.uk/id/object/1415285a2b5d5c-f5d7-3a4b-bda4-d26a9f0389727referenceterm-42993adlib-term-4299393884c6f-c60c-39f7-a75d-f84d65288fe0medalreferenceterm-122711adlib-term-1227111db96904-a474-3b61-a8e5-6c2d9dd557abLester Watson CollectionCoins and MedalsThe history of the British presence in South Africa is inextricably bound up with that of the Basuto and Zulu tribes whom it displaced. A series of shaky and short-lived accommodations with the various polities that made up the African kingdoms meant that the borders between the zones were never entirely free from conflict. Between 1877 and 1879 a number of particularly difficult punitive expeditions were mounted by the British authorities, and in 1880 a medal was sanctioned for these that was a new issue of that for the campaigns of 1834-1853 with a slightly modified reverse design.
The bar carried by this medal relates to the endeavours of King Cetshwayo kaMpande, who became King of the Zulus in 1873 but had been their effective ruler since 1856. Although contemporary British accounts paint him as a obstinate and stupid ruler who persisted in boiling and eating missionaries, he was keenly aware of the threat that the British posed to his rule and embarked upon a programme to equip his army with muskets. He incited revolts among other tribes all along the British and Boer borders with the Zulus. This led to reinforcements being sent from Britain to quell him and his risings over the course of 1878. A commission was appointed to settle the border with the Zulus, but as it mainly found in favour of their claims these operations merely set the stage for the Zulu War of 1879.
This medal was awarded to Private J. Harvey of the 80th Foot, part of which unit served in the province of Natal during the unrest of 1878. Lester Watson purchased it at some point before 1928.CM.1434-20091accession numberCM.1434-2009141528priref141528Watson Catalogue346orderingM-0317previous object numberLW.0317urihttps://data.fitzmuseum.cam.ac.uk/id/object/141528https://data.fitzmuseum.cam.ac.uk/id/object/141528Bust of Victoria facing leftobverseVICTORIA REGINAdesignLion couchant before protea bush; Zulu shield on four crossed assegais in exerguereversedesignreferenceagent-149638adlib-agent-1496387376d833-d0a7-3be0-916e-9c892b7a24d8The Fitzwilliam MuseumGiven by Lester Watson through Cambridge in America, 2009referenceagent-206432adlib-agent-206432e0b1da8e-f9e4-30be-9257-f82c89d45afbWatson, Lester200920092009givenon loan to the Fitzwilliam Museum 2005-2009188018801880188018811188118811881mintreferenceagent-149658adlib-agent-1496584cb81521-c6ef-3826-8224-de2a104139c5Londonartistreferenceagent-147914adlib-agent-1479145137dfbe-da76-3132-b042-fd9281d2df44Wyon, Leonard Charlesartistreferenceagent-174941adlib-agent-1749418ba653dd-3bef-332c-a3cb-822cc499c1fdWyon, Williamrulerreferenceagent-151398adlib-agent-151398bb2cd0a1-0a27-3787-a684-475d3b199972Victoria (1837-1901)with the title ofrulerreferenceagent-174943adlib-agent-1749439c2be08c-ce74-3f9c-b796-3c936a5088e0Victoria reginareferenceterm-106216adlib-term-106216825b8379-ec94-388e-9a59-624e40c090d0Londonreferenceterm-39778adlib-term-397788bd60ed6-968d-3faf-8ad5-b4e4ee9bb245silverDiametermm36.2Weightg39.63referencemedia-116607adlib-media-1166075bddbede-fe22-3c34-b6dc-73a2ef44fc01jpegcm/cm15/LW_0317_281_29.jpg1heightpixels365widthpixels14416162560555011imagejpegcm/cm15/LW_0317_281_29.jpg1heightpixels365widthpixels14416162560555011imagejpegcm/cm15/LW_0317_281_29.jpg1heightpixels365widthpixels14416162560555011imagejpegcm/cm15/LW_0317_281_29.jpg1heightpixels365widthpixels14416162560555011image0media
imagereferencemedia-116608adlib-media-116608a4fe11ed-b5af-3e16-9e6c-6c9a47a5398fjpegcm/cm15/LW_0317_282_29.jpg1heightpixels365widthpixels14416162704334601imagejpegcm/cm15/LW_0317_282_29.jpg1heightpixels365widthpixels14416162704334601imagejpegcm/cm15/LW_0317_282_29.jpg1heightpixels365widthpixels14416162704334601imagejpegcm/cm15/LW_0317_282_29.jpg1heightpixels365widthpixels14416162704334601image1media
imagereferenceterm-123051adlib-term-1230516e34e9ad-8435-3e53-b81e-65ea4abad938South Africa General Service Medaldenominationreferenceterm-98222adlib-term-98222b5ccc43a-7491-344e-b6ca-5df39a11c50emedalsseriesreferenceterm-108659adlib-term-108659cc732dec-4543-389e-a737-cf22bb7d2ee2Militarysubseriesreferenceterm-107681adlib-term-107681e80da827-45c6-3b71-a3ef-28794a05e4a8Britainsubsubseriesreferenceterm-122717adlib-term-122717140af9ad-d215-34d9-9d42-52ecb5d3feadBritish Armysubsubsubserieshistory noteGift of L. Hoyt Watson; ex Lester Watson Collection, bt before 1928referenceagent-149638adlib-agent-1496387376d833-d0a7-3be0-916e-9c892b7a24d8The Fitzwilliam Museum315-331referencepublication-5886adlib-publication-5886a6056c29-399c-38dd-9710-5b3f2d44b8a6British Battles and Medals 7th ednreferencepublication-5910adlib-publication-59100d1d8526-5493-32bd-93b4-acd4cdcec7f9British and other Campaign and Gallantry Medals From the Collection of Lester Watson (d. 1959)referenceterm-123051adlib-term-1230516e34e9ad-8435-3e53-b81e-65ea4abad938South Africa General Service MedalSouth Africa General Service Medalreferenceterm-119622adlib-term-119622dd6626e9-5822-307d-aa31-13c8813e7555struckobject
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