Orders, Decorations & Medals - Aust. Groups

Lot 4572    Session 16 (9:30am Friday 3rd August)    Orders, Decorations & Medals - Aust. Groups

Estimate $3,000
Bid at live.noble.com.au
SOLD $6,400

PAIR: Egypt Medal 1882-89 (undated reverse), - clasp - Suakin 1885; Khedive's Star 1884-6. 8, Dispr. H.St George. N.S.W. Amb: Corps. On first medal, second medal unnamed as issued. Named medal engraved. Swing mounted on a sterling silver brooch bar, first medal with some contact marks but nicely toned, second medal with oxidation spot on reverse field, ribbon on first medal damaged, otherwise good very fine.

Together with matching swing mounted set of miniatures and a pin-back pair of miniature ribands; Lord Mayor of Sydney Soudan Medal, 1885, in silver (28mm) (C.1885/10), unnamed; commemorative issues for Departure of N.S.W. Troops, 1885, in silver (24mm) (C.1885/12) and Return of N.S.W. Troops, 1885, in silver (24mm) (C.1885/2); fine leather wallet with hand-stitching around edge, front with impressed arms with motto, 'Firmitas in Coela Fragilitas in Terre' (Stability in Heaven Fragility of Earth), and inside impressed with initials, 'H.St G'; original Parchment Certificate of Discharge; copy of N.S.W. Contingent nominal roll of members left behind at Suez, Suakin and Colombo, sick and on duty; b&w photo of H. St George; miniature copy of The Echo, 8pp edition published to commemorate the departure of the New South Wales Troops for the Soudan.

Hugh St George, age 21, born at Dublin, Ireland; Enl.01Mar1885 at Sydney for Special Service in Egypt; Emb.03Mar1885; served in the Ambulance Corps as a Dispenser; on return trip to Australia 01Jun1885 on S.S.Arab he, along with 4 others, was left on duty at Colombo Hospital to care for 12 sick members of the contingent; Disch,25Jul1885 at Sydney; 1901 NSW Military Forces Reserve of Officers - Hugh Stewart St George, L.M.R.I., and M.R.P.S., Dispenser to the Soudan Contingent to be Lieutenant.

In August 1887 newspaper reports detailed the charging and trial of Hugh St George. One report stated, 'The inquest touching the death of a child named Lionel Ernest Ormirod, which took place a week ago, and which according to the medical testimony, was due to poisonous doses of laudanum, was concluded to-day. The jury brought in a verdict of manslaughter against Hugh St. George who described himself as a licentiate in midwifery of the Rotunda Hospital, Dublin, by whom the medicine administered to the child, was prescribed. St. George was committed for trial.' At the trial, Hughes was found not guilty. He then sued one newspaper for libel and was successful.

In February 1901 at another coronial inquest into the death of Mrs Florence May Hollinshead of St Peters, Hughes, who was treating the patient, stated that he was a registered chemist and was practising as a consultant chemist. His qualifications were a licentiate of midwifery from Rotunda Hospital, Dublin and he was also a member of the Registered Pharmacists' Society and he operated a chemist's shop at 445 King Street, Newtown, a near-to-the city Sydney suburb. When the patient died at home, Hughes issued a death certificate, illegally as he was not qualified to do so. The Jury in the case returned an open finding.

Not long after, Hughes qualified as a Medical Practitioner when he completed a medical degree at Sydney University. His practice operated from 315 Cleveland Street, Redfern, Sydney. Dr Hugh Stewart St George of 143 Elizabeth St, Sydney City died at Paris on 9 December 1925.