Lot 3032

Description

T.D.R.C. (Tauranga District Rifle Club), shield in silver (48x43mm), pierced in three places for suspension [illustrated]; fob medal, Champion 1916, handcrafted in gold (9ct, 8.28g, 45x38mm), ring top suspension, reverse inscribed 'Hon.Memb. A.J.Mirrielees/Score 411' [illustrated]; another fob medal, T.D.R.C., Championship, 1917, hand engraved in gold (9ct, 5.5g, 35x35mm); W.D.R.C. fob medal, in silver with gold (45x30mm), reverse inscribed '1920/2nd Champion'; stock fob medal, in silver (29mm), no maker, ring top suspension, 'Memorial Cup/1931' on obverse, reverse inscribed 'Won by/President/A.J.Merrielees (sic)'; fob medal, engraved in gold (9ct, 6.3g, 35x32mm), no maker, ring top suspension, reverse inscribed 'Presented/To/Pres. A.J.Mirrielees/by/Officers & Members of T.D.R.C./For/Services Rendered/1932' [illustrated]; silver screw down container tops (4), one numbered '1' another numbered '2', two inscribed 'I.B.C./Won By A.J.Merriellees (sic)'; silver and enamel crossed rifles fob medal (40x25mm), English maker and hallmark; badge in plain silver (33mm), inscribed 'Tauranga Golf Club/A.J.Mirrielees/Life Member'; also, King's College, Sports Medal, Athletics, struck in silver (49mm) by Walker & Hall (cased), reverse inscribed '1926/R.W.Mirrielees/Drop Kicking/Football' [illustrated]; fob medal, hand engraved in silver with gold, no maker, ring top suspension, reverse inscribed 'T.R.C./R.Mirrielees/1st Relay/1923'. Fine - extremely fine. (14)

Alexander James Mirrielees (1878-1972) was born at Riverton on 4 June 1878, the youngest son of William Phillip and Ellen Mirrielees (nee Lyon). His father arrived in New Zealand in 1860, taking part in the Gabriels' Gully Gold Rush. Previously he had worked in Moscow then Odessa on the Black Sea before moving to Australia in 1854. William and Ellen married in Riverton in 1866.

Alexander was educated at Riverton High School before completing a four year apprenticeship with chemist C.F.Whitford. He moved to Wellington, where he qualified, then opened a pharmacy in Johnsonville, remaining there for seven years. During that time he became involved in the Rifle Volunteers, winning the New Zealand Service Championship Belt and the Challenge Cup several times at Trentham.

In 1902 he married Violet Mary Ada Sheath.