Australian Historical Medals

Lot 1030    Session 4 (4.30pm Tuesday)    Australian Historical Medals

Estimate $220,000
Bid at live.noble.com.au

BUSHRANGER PRESENTATION PIECE, a sterling silver epergne (table centrepiece with hanging bowls and candelabra), 72cm high on tri-form base with large leaf feet and decorated with scrolls and beading, rising to a natural formed trunk stem with six scrolled arms, three with candle nozzle fittings and three supporting loop handled baskets, centre basket fitting, the whole piece ornately decorated with vine and grapes, London, 1862 by Thomas Smily, engraved on base, 'Presented / by / The Colonists of Australia / to / Mr. & Mrs. D.H. Campbell / In admiration of their gallant / conduct in repelling the attack of / the Bushrangers upon GOIMBLA / N.S.W. on the night of the 19th November / 1863'. An unique piece of Australian colonial bushranger history and excessively rare.

Ex Christies Auction, Melbourne, 30 November 1992 (lot 216). This epergne was a testimonial to David and Amelia Campbell for the stand they made against the notorious bushrangers, Ben Hall, Johnny Gilbert and John O'Meally, when they attacked them at about 8.45pm on 19 November 1863 at Goimbla, a homestead at Eugowra Creek about 32 miles from Forbes in New South Wales. Apparently this attack was made in retaliation to the hard stance that Mr Campbell had taken against the bushrangers including the leading of parties to capture or repel them. When bailed up at his front door, David Campbell resisted, was fired upon and retaliated by firing off his double barrel shotgun. Immediately the property was under siege by the three bushrangers and in the ensuing battle David's brother William was wounded, the barn was set on fire and destroyed along with its contents and David's much-loved horse was killed and the bushranger, John O'Meally was shot and killed. At a Magisterial enquiry conducted by Mr. William Farrand, Police Magistrate, Forbes, New South Wales, various statements were tendered and in his deposition, David Campbell stated in part, 'He instantly fired the contents of two barrels at my face, which I replied to by discharging one of the barrels of my gun. The man immediately fled around the corner of the building, and joined one or two others at the front door. I followed a short distance, and, seeing their strength, retired to my bedroom. The dining-room before mentioned was lighted up with a strong kerosene lamp, and the window blinds were raised. A spare gun was leaning in the chimney corner. My powder-flask, containing some powder and some bullets, together with a box of caps, were lying on the mantelpiece. Mrs Campbell, whilst I was in the bedroom, rushed into the dining room, and, under the fire of the bushrangers from the front verandah, succeeded in securing the gun and ammunition before-mentioned, which she brought to me........... Mrs Campbell had in the meantime, without my sanction, rushed across a paddock at the back of the house to the men's hut, distant from the house about 150 yards, for assistance, and was returning without success, and took up her position near to me with a servant girl........ Shortly after, Mrs Campbell called my attention to a man with a cabbage-tree hat, looking over the said fence in the direction of the burning premises. I immediately ran round the end of the house, and from the front corner, took a deliberate aim at the man's throat. I fired, retreated, and re-loaded my gun.' The death of O'Meally was ruled to be 'justifiable homicide' and was widely acclaimed by the people of the area because he was a wanted felon who had committed various robberies and killed at least two people. This attack, particularly the unheard of shooting at a female, proved to be a turning point in respect of the fight against bushranging and galvanised public sentiment towards standing up to the 'ruffianly freebooters'. Later it was reported in the Sydney Mail of 5 March 1864 that a public meeting had been convened at the Chamber of Commerce. In an opening address, the newly appointed chairman, Mr Holt MLA made reference to Mrs Campbell when he stated that he hoped the result of the meeting would be the getting up of a testimonial that would be worthy of Mr Campbell's acceptance not a mere vote expressing admiration of his conduct and that of his noble wife, but such as should be preserved as an heirloom in the family for many generations to come. Mr Campbell had rendered a more efficient service in putting a stop to bushranging than he believed the whole of the police put together; for since the death of O'Meally, scarcely anything had been heard about the rest of the gang. The Rev George King moved the first resolution and in his speech he said 'Who could tell to what extent these desperadoes might have carried their excursions through the country if the gallant Campbell had not met them and broke up the gang? Mr Campbell did it. But he was not alone. A daughter of Australia - a lady brought up and educated in Sydney - well worthy to be the wife of such a man stood by his side, and, aided by her cool self-possession and noble courage, he was able to repel his assailants, and left the foremost of his more than savage assailants dead on the field. In averting to Mrs Campbell's conduct in this affair, an incident occurred during the tragic scene which had not yet come before the public, and which it might be of interest to mention; he had it from the lips of Mrs Campbell herself. After she had secured the arms and ammunition in the midst of the discharge of revolvers, two of which grazed her breast - one on the right side and the other on the left; after she had brought these necessary supplies to her husband, a thought struck her that the four servant men, who slept in a hut about a hundred yards distant from the house, might be placed in such position as to render considerable aid to her husband. For this purpose she left the house stealthily through the back passage, and made her way through the darkness of the night to the hut in question; but no arguments on her part could prevail on the hut keepers to venture their precious persons for one moment from their precious den. She was obliged therefore to return alone, and in doing so the vulture eye of Gilbert caught sight of her, and he immediately commanded her to stand or he would blow her brains out. She paid no attention to this threat, but dashed on, made her way to the house, and took her place again by her husband's side. It would also be remembered that it was Mrs Campbell who made the discovery that the assailants had shown themselves within range, and communicated the same to her husband.' Some months later, on 3 August 1864, the Committee for the testimonial to the Campbells met at the Metropole Hotel, chaired by Rev King who announced that of the money raised, ú150/0/0 be used to buy a silver centrepiece and candelabra'. The task of securing a suitable item was allocated to Mr Edward Chisholm of Sydney who made an acquisition from Hardy's, Sydney. The testimonial presentation of an epergne to Mr and Mrs Campbell and in addition, a silver tea urn to Mrs Campbell and a gold watch to Mr Campbell was made at the Campbell's residence, Goimbla, on Friday 7th October 1864. The watch was presented to Mr Campbell first and then Mrs Campbell was presented with the sterling silver epergne along with an expression of the devotedness she had manifested to her husband in the hour of difficulty and peril, and the courage she had displayed in aiding him to resist the dastardly attack upon their home by Gilbert and his gang. Her husband replied on behalf of both of them. Then, Mr J G King, Gold Commissioner, as representative of the ladies of Adelong, presented Mrs Campbell with a silver plated tea urn which carried the inscription,'The ladies of Upper and Middle Adelong present this token of esteem to Mrs Campbell, as an appreciation of her heroic conduct displayed during the attack at Goimbla by bushrangers, on 19th November, 1868.' Other recognition was a handwritten address to Mr and Mrs Campbell signed by 92 signatures of male residents of Forbes and District and another address to Mrs Campbell printed on silk from the ladies of Middle and Upper Adelong, 'We the undersigned, on behalf of ourselves and other ladies resident on the Middle and Upper Adelong, beg your acceptance of the accompanying Testimonial, as a small token of our esteem for the heroism by you on the night of the 19th November 1863, in assisting your worthy husband in defending your lives and property from the attack of bushrangers, which resulted in the death of one of a band of villains whose lives were stained by the worst of crimes; and we feel we cannot allow such an act to pass by without thus publicly recording our admiration of your conduct, whereby you have made the whole colony your debtors.' Financial rewards totalling over ú2,000 were given and Mr Campbell was awarded a gold Bushranger Medal. The whereabouts of this medal is unknown but the other testimonials are held as follows, gold watch (Public Library Sydney), testimonial hand-written address by residents of Forbes and District (National Museum of Australia), address printed on silk (National Museum of Australia), and silver plated tea urn (National Museum of Australia). The epergne presented to Mrs Campbell is the only epergne presentation made as recognition for resisting bushrangers and Mrs Campbell was one of only two women to receive any public recognition for such heroism in over one hundred years of bushranger activity in Australia. Thus the epergne is an unique piece of Australian colonial bushranger history and as such should be regarded as a national treasure. The feats of Mr and Mrs Campbell are recorded in several published works for example, The Trooper Police of Australia by A L Haydon, p 165; History of Australian Bushranging by Charles White Vol.2 pp 88-90; Ben Hall by Edgar Penzig, Chapter 7; Ben Hall Bushranger by Frank Clune, Chapter 21; Apprehension of Bushrangers Medals and Rewards by Les Carlisle, pp 18/19. Together with extensive research and photos.