Orders, Decorations & Medals - Militaria

Lot 5034    SESSION 19 (4.30PM FRIDAY 29TH JULY)    Orders, Decorations & Medals - Militaria

Estimate $150
Bid at live.noble.com.au
SOLD $140

TRIBUTE CERTIFICATE, by the Councils of the Shire of Patrick Plains and the Municipality of Singleton, presented to Lieutenant C.R.McNiven 45th Battalion, A.I.F., dated at Singleton 24th April 1921, under perspex in a timber frame (46x55.5cm) (certificate with water stains and some tears at edges); also a stop watch by Excelsior, in silvered bronze, inside the back cover inscribed, 'Lieutenant/Charles R./McNiven/45 Battalion' (glass cover marked and chipped at edge, not working); Letter of Introduction, current for 1954-55, under seal and signed by the Premier of NSW, J.J.Cahill issued to C.R.McNiven; also another similar letter issued by McNiven Bros Ltd to C.R.McNiven, the company Managing Director; a variety of other business and military related cards and documents all for C.R.McNiven including a coloured postcard that shows the two ice cream factories of McNiven Bros Ltd at Camperdown, Sydney. Poor - very fine. (lot)

Charles Robert McNiven, marine engineer, age 29, born at Singleton, NSW; Enl.28Feb1916; Emb.24Aug1916; to Lieutenant 07Mar1917; to France 06Sep1917; TOS 45Bn 18Sep1917; WIA 12Oct1917 GSW chest; RTA 15Feb1918; Appt terminated 21Aug1918.

After the war Charles and his brother Ronald went to America and worked in an ice cream factory in Chicago. They then returned to Australia in about 1922 and built their own ice cream factory at Camperdown in Sydney and produced what was a well known brand at the time of McNiven's ice cream. The business lasted until the mid 1950s when it was purchased by Unilever.