University & School Award Medals

Lot 3608    Session 13 (2.30pm Thursday 24 November) Leslie J Carlisle C    University & School Award Medals

Estimate $250
Bid at live.noble.com.au
SOLD $220

SCOTTISH SCHOOL PRIZE MEDAL TO AUSTRALIAN, issued in Scotland, 1897, in silver (57x73mm), with suspension ring and loop, hallmarked for Glasgow 1896 by RS (Robert Scott), obverse inscribed, 'Awarded/To/Robert Craig/18th June 1897', reverse inscribed, 'Ardrossan No 2./Public School/Presented By/Mrs Joseph Russell/To/The Dux/In Boys Department/Wm.Comrie, Master'. Very fine.

Robert Gordon Craig was born on 23 May 1870 at Ardrossan, Ayrshire, Scotland. His father, Robert Craig, was a sea captain who made money as a gun runner to the Confederates during the American Civil War and later smuggled brandy from France to Belfast. In 1877 he settled in Sydney, Australia and the following year young Robert joined his parents. He completed his education at Sydney Grammar School and over the next few years he studied medicine at university and then took up a residency at Royal Prince Alfred Hospital and later he bought a medical practice at Newtown. He had an eminent medical career and in 1915 he enlisted in the AIF being commissioned as a Lieutenant Colonel and served on No.1 Hospital Ship Karoola until the end of 1916 and then as surgeon at Randwick Military Hospital.

As well as his medical talents, Craig raced with the Royal Sydney Yacht Squadron and Royal Prince Alfred Yacht Club, was a first-class golfer and Vice-President of the Australian Golf Club, a member of the Rotary Club of Sydney and the Australian and University clubs. He died suddenly on 2 September 1931 at Ulinda Station, his property near Binnaway located in central western NSW near the larger town of Coonabarabran, and was cremated at St Stephen's Presbyterian Church, Sydney.

With copy of full biography.