Lot 5124

Description

New Zealand Medal 1869, undated reverse. 3156 Pte. G.Byford. 40th Foot. Engraved. Small edge nick on obverse, otherwise very fine.

George Byford, born Jan1830 at Foxearth, Essex, England; joined army (40th Regt) at age 18; arrived in Australia 26Jun1854; participated in suppressing the Rebellion at Eureka Stockade at the Victorian goldfields on 3Dec1854; was a witness at the Police Court proceedings into the rebels at the Stockade in that he was able to identify prisoner Ferguson, and stated that he saw him inside the stockade, he had no arms (weapons) and saw him run from tent to tent.; served at Port Arthur before sailing to New Zealand to serve in the Maori Wars; took a discharge in New Zealand and was granted land in the north of New Zealand; in September 1868, while working with Murdock McRae as a labourer for Mr Hopkinson of Drury branding cattle, he was a witness to the said McRae dying that evening. The finding of the jury was that McRae had died of natural causes.; George Byford died in May1915 at the residence of his daughter, Mrs Hagan, at Meanee. He was well known in the Otago District and also Hawke's Bay. As well as a daughter, he also had four sons, two resident in New Zealand at Napier and one in Gisborne, the other one in Australia.

With copy of newspaper report into proceedings against the Eureka rebels in the Ballaarat Police Court on 7 December 1854.