The Barrett J. Carr Collection of Boer War Medals
Barrett J. Carr, JP BSc
Barry Carr was born in Brisbane on 17 July 1934. He left primary school after obtaining the Queensland Scholarship and became an apprentice plumber and gas fitter, but in 1953 he was called up for National Service. He volunteered for Korea but his parents would not give their consent to him going as he was under 21, although he continued to serve in the Citizens Military Forces (CMF) and reached the rank of sergeant while becoming a self-employed contractor in his chosen trade.
In 1958 he joined the Royal Australian Air Force "because the food was much better than in the regular army", attending night school to further his education. Discharged in 1964, he attended the University of New South Wales and graduated with a BSc (Civil Engineering) degree before rejoining the CMF and attending 14 Course OCTU in Sydney, from which he graduated as a lieutenant in 1972 and was posted to 4 Field Squadron Royal Australian Engineers. Work commitments caused him to resign from the CMF with the rank of captain (IO) in 1979; he then joined the Public Works Department and subsequently transferred to the Housing Commission of New South Wales, retiring from a consultancy there in 2000.
As a boy growing up in Brisbane during the Second World War, where there was a large contingent of army, navy and USAAF personnel with the associated submarine base and airfield at Eagle Farm, Barry started to collect militaria. One day he noticed in a pawn shop window "a lovely medal with 4 very attractive bars on it, which I later found out was a Crimea medal." From then on he was hooked and decided to collect medals "as soon as I could afford it, which wasn't until I joined the RAAF." As a beginner he acquired all types of medals, but eventually decided to concentrate on those named to Australians, New Zealanders, Colonial units, the Royal Navy and unusual QSA Imperial groups. When these started to become difficult to find he extended his collecting areas to medals awarded to women, those for life saving "and anything I found of interest." A founder member of the New South Wales Military Historical Society and past editor of the Society's magazine Despatch, as well as a member of many medal collecting societies, including the OMRS and OMSA, he has also contributed to the Australian Dictionary of Biography.
After nearly 50 years of collecting medals, throughout which he was ably assisted by the late Donald Hall, Barry has decided that it was time he culled his holdings and hence is offering for sale the majority of his QSA collection, keeping only his medals to Australians, New Zealanders and those with an Australasian connection. Like many before him who had collected for that sort of time span, Barry has had "some very nice medals" through his hands, including those to a sergeant at Rorke's Drift, a 21st Lancer charger at Omdurman and a 1953 Coronation medal for the conquest of Everest named to a sherpa, all of which were traded in his pursuit for QSAs. Barry's interest remains undimmed and his latest area of collecting is now temperance medals.
Collection Information
Other Collections Sold in 2016
- The Barrett J. Carr Collection of Boer War Medals
- Edwardian Sterlings of the Bury St Edmunds Mint, From the Collection of Dr Robin Eaglen
- Coins of Charles I From the Lyall Collection
- A Collection of Medals to the Gloucestershire Regiment (28th and 61st Foot)
- A Collection of Medals to The South Wales Borderers
- A Collection of Medals to the Manchester Regiment
- A Collection of Militaria to the Gloucestershire Regiment (28th and 61st Foot)
- A Parcel of Coins from the Durham (Neville’s Cross) Hoard, 1889
- A Collection of British Silver and Copper Coins, 1662-1758, the Property of a Cambridge Scholar
- A Collection of Shillings, Charles II to Edward VII, the Property of a Gentleman
- A Good Group of Victorian Florins, 1849-1901, the Property of a Gentleman
- A Collection of Maundy Coins and Sets, Charles II to Elizabeth II, the Property of a Gentleman
- Edward VIII Coins and Related Ephemera, from the Estate of the late Miss Fairlie Hopkin
- Numismatic Books from the Library of the late Jeffrey Gardiner, Darlington
- British Historical Medals from the Collection of the late David Perry
- A Group of Cheques Signed By the Late Lord Lucan
- A Collection of English Hammered Coins, the Property of a Cambridge Scholar
- Pennies of the Durham Mint, from the Collection of Ray Robinson
- A Collection of British Milled Coins, the Property of a Gentleman
- A Collection of Shillings, George III to George V, the Property of a Gentleman
- A Collection of Ancient Coins, the Property of a Gentleman
- British Tokens from the Collection formed by the late Neil Todd
- A Group of Admiral Vernon Medals, the Property of a Gentleman
- A Good Group of Specimen Banknotes
- The Channer Family Medals
- A Collection of Gallantry Awards to the Indian Army for the Burma Campaign 1944-45
- A Small Collection of Medals to The Military Police
- London 17th Century Tokens from the Collection of Quentin Archer
- The Collection of Nottinghamshire 17th Century Tokens formed by Andrew Knighton
- The Collection of Somerset 17th Century Tokens formed by the late Terry Winsborough
- The Collection of Staffordshire Tokens formed by the late Edward Watkin
- Other British Tokens from the Collection formed by the late Edward Watkin
- British Tokens from the Collection formed by Tony Holmes
- Tokens and Gaming Counters from the Collection of Colin Narbeth
- British Historical Medals from the Collection of Derek Platts
- A Further Group of Admiral Vernon Medals, the Property of a Gentleman
- British Coins from the Collection of the late Edward Watkin
- A Collection of British Coins sold on behalf of the Royal Flying Corps Veterans Association
- The Berscar (Dumfries and Galloway) 2014 Hoard of Edwardian Sterlings
- The Collection of Medals to Welsh Regiments formed by the Late Llewellyn Lord
- The Collection of Medals to Musicians formed by the Late Llewellyn Lord
- The Collection of Militaria to Welsh Regiments formed by the Late Llewellyn Lord
- A Collection of Banknotes of Northern Ireland, the Property of a Gentleman
- A Group of Banknotes of Iran, the Property of a Gentleman
- A Collection of Medals to the West Yorkshire (14th Foot) and Yorkshire (19th Foot) Regiments
- A Collection of Medals to Members of the Nobility and The Royal Household
- British Coins from the C.J. Boismason Collection
- Irish Coins from the C.J. Boismason Collection
- British Historical Medals from the Collection of Michael Longfield
- A Collection of City of London Medals, the Property of a Gentleman
- The Collection of Sussex 17th Century Tokens formed by Tim Everson
- A Fine Collection of Racing Tickets and Passes, the Property of a North Country Collector
- British Tokens from the Collection of the late David Perry
Back to Special Collections
Valuations
If you are interested in selling your items and would like a valuation, our experts would be happy to help.