Natal Medal clasp 1906 (HON. D. WINTER. MININSTER NATIVE AFFAIRS.); Union Medal 1910; Natal Coronation Medal 1902 as awarded to Native Chiefs - with original presentation award slip named to The Honble. H.D. Winter.
The Honourable Henry Daniel Winter, Minister of Native Affairs Natal Colonial Government during Bambatha Rebellion 1906 Town of Winterton named after him.
Winter loomed large on the political landscape of Colonial Natal before, during and after the Natal Rebellion aka the Bambatha Rebellion of 1906 - at which point in time he was the Minister for Native Affairs and Public Works in the Natal Colonial Administration. Born on 26 October 1851 he was of German extraction. He commenced farming in the Weenen district of Natal in 1875 and was elected a member of the Legislative Assembly in 1893, serving as Minister of Agriculture under the Binns Ministry in 1899 and under the Hime Ministry from 1899-1903. He was appointed Minister for Native Affairs on 16 May 1905, almost on the eve of the rebellion and was instrumental in implementing the Poll Tax which gave rise to the Rebellion when a junior chieftan, Bambatha, urged his followers not to pay the ax and incited them into open revolt. This led to the mobilisation of the Natal Militia who were only stood down once Bambatha had been routed at Mome Gorge in Zululand in 1906. His severed head was shown to tribesmen as proof that he was dead.
Winter was awarded the Natal Medal (one of only seven awarded to the Cabinet) with the 1906 clasp. He was also, because of his political status, one of the few to be awarded the 1902 Coronation Medal awarded to Native Chiefs. He was elected Senator by both Houses of Parliament to represent Natal at the negotiations for the creation of a Union of the Cape Colony, Orange River Colony, Transvaal and Natal on 2 February 1910. He was one of only 550 people to receive the Union Medal for this.
He died at Estcourt, Natal on 4 October 1927.
Medals are in good condition unless otherwise indicated. Sold with copied research and a book on the Winter family.
