About the product

QSA Kimberley and Trio

Queen’s South Africa, bar Defence of Kimberley, 1914-15 Star, British War Medal and Bilingual Victory Medal, Private G.H. Ayrton, Kimberley Town Guard, 7th South African Infantry and S.A. Veteran Regt.

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SKU: J6062 Category:
Origin: United Kingdom
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Queen’s South Africa, bar Defence of Kimberley, 1914-15 Star, British War Medal and Bilingual Victory Medal, Private G.H. Ayrton, Kimberley Town Guard, also Scott’s Railways Guards, later 7th South African Infantry and South African Veteran Regiment.

 

Q.S.A. impressed: “Pte G.H. Ayrton. Kimberley Town Gd:”
1914-15 Star impressed: “Pte G.H. Ayrton 7th Infantry”
BWM Impressed: “Pte G.H. Ayrton S.A. Veteran Regt.”
Bilingual SA Victory impressed: “Pte G.H. Ayrton 7th Infantry”

 

Geoerge Henry Ayrton served in the Defence of the town at Premier Mine, also serving in the S.R.G. (service no 917) from 22nd May 1901.

 

He was born in Bradford, Yorkshire during October 1872, being Baptised on 20th September 1873 in Bracewell, to John Henry Ayrton and Amy Mary Ayrton. His father was a Joiner and his Mother a Dress Maker, they lived in Burnley and as of the 1891 Cencus George was an 18 year old Cotton Weaver.

 

On 6th February 1899 whilst living in Beaconsfield he married Christina Wilhelmina Geduld, before the Siege began she became pregnant and as the city was under siege gave birth in December 1899, Amy Marie Ayrton being baptised on 24th December 1899. During the siege he had another child, a son baptised on 23rd December 1900, Frederic Harold Ayrton.
He had another child after the end of the war, Hilda Ayrton, baptised on 19th February 1903.

 

On 15th February 1950, only about 125 men of the surviving veterans got together for the 50th Anniversary Reunion of the Siege of Kimberley, Ayrton was present and is in the Group Photograph shown in the excellent book “Kimberley Siege Account and Medal Roll” by David Biggins, in the photo he is seated on the front row, 8 from the left and can be spotted wearing his medals on the jacket.

 

He died on 31st August 1952, unusually at the “Governer General’s Residence” in Bloemfontein, his probate was completed in his home town of Kimberley.