Life Saving Medals from the Collection of John Wilson
Goliath on occasion of the recent destruction by fire of that ill-fated vessel, I have felt a strong wish to present a silver medal to each of those who signally distinguished themselves on that occasion. I may have been forestalled in this wish, but I trust that I may be allowed to do something of the kind, as, coming from India, it will prove to the boys that deeds like theirs have not merely a local fame, but are marked and appreciated by their fellow subjects in the most distant parts of Her Majesty’s Empire ...’ (Extract from The Times, 22 February 1876). In the event, the Maharajah of Burdwan’s Medal was also awarded to Captain Walter.
With bound copies of The Times relating to the burning of the training ship Goliath - 23-25 December 1875; 27-31 December 1875; 1, 3, 6, 7, 10, 11, 12, 14, 27, 28 & 31 January 1876; 16 & 22 February 1876 - bound in one volume, maroon boards, approx. 61 x 48cm. Together with copied research.
579
A Royal Society for the Protection of Life from Fire and Ally Slopers’ Medal pair awarded to David Buchanan
ROYAL SOCIETY FOR THE PROTECTION OF LIFE FROM FIRE, 3rd type, silver, reverse inscribed, ‘Presented to David Buchanan for saving life at Edgware Rd, London on the 30th May 1888’, swivel straight bar suspension, with silver buckle on ribbon, in Wyon, London fitted case of issue; ALLY SLOPERS’MEDAL OF VALOR, silver, reverse inscribed, ‘Presented to David Buchanan for his courageous conduct on the occasion of the Edgware Road Fire May 30th 1888’, complete with ornate silver brooch bar, in fitted case of issue, nearly extremely fine (2)
£700-800
Ex W. H. Fevyer Collection D.N.W. 25 September 2008. Extract from Saved from the Flames, by Roger Willoughby and John Wilson -
Case 14,212 David Buchanan, Journeyman Painter, Silver Medal and £5; Mdlle. Elise Chuard, Silver Medal; C. W. Bunting, Bronze Medal and £2.2.0.
‘This rescue was for a fire at Garrould’s in Edgeware Road on Wednesday 30 May 1888. A brief account of the rescue appeared in the Ally Sloper Magazine (16 June 1888) thus: “At the time the fire was at its fiercest, David Buchanan placed a ladder against one of the windows, but finding it was too short, he, nothing daunted, managed, with wonderful dexterity, to climb up to the window-sill. Here he put upon his shoulders the body of a girl who had fainted, and by an exertion of extraordinary physical strength, he was enabled to regain the ladder, from whence he brought his precious burden in safety to the ground.’
Further details appeared in the lengthy inquest report published in The Pall Mall Gazette (Monday 4 June 1888) and in The Penny Illustrated Paper and Illustrated Times (Saturday 9 June 1888), the latter noting: ‘…The head dressmaker, a French lady, however, used most strenuous efforts to allay the extreme fright of the unfortunate creatures, and with praiseworthy presence of mind led them down a staircase by which many of them were brought to the back windows looking out on the leads at the rear of the building. Mdlle Elise Chuard [who appears incorrectly as ‘Shirard’ in the Society records], the principal dressmaker in question, thus clearly described her commendable presence of mind at this juncture whilst under examination at the inquest: “I have been with the firm eight years, and had several ladies – about sixty during the season – under me. Only a few slept on the premises. The factory inspector visited us. On the morning of the fire, at half-past six o’clock, I was awakened by a tremendous crash of glass. I occupied a room at the back, in the top of 154. A young lady in my bed-room asked what it was, and on looking out through the blind I saw nothing. Then I heard a crackling, and opened the door, but was at once obliged to close it again on account of the smoke. I rushed back to the window, and saw black smoke coming from the windows on the right. Then I managed to get to the front room, and found there four young ladies, whom I asked to follow me. We went downstairs, but we were unable to pass on account of the smoke. I then took them back to the front room and then went downstairs, covering my face as I went. Then I rushed back and told them to make another effort. They did so. One wanted to go back for her watch, but I would not let her. We got downstairs into the young men’s bedroom, from there to the work-room, and thence on to the leads, from which we were rescued”. The Coroner [said] (to the jury): “I promise to bring the conduct of this young lady before the Society for the Protection of Life from Fire”…’. The medals were presented at a Trustees Meeting on 20 September 1888.’
580
ROYAL SOCIETY FOR THE PROTECTION OF LIFE FROM FIRE, 3rd type, bronze, reverse inscribed, ‘To J. J. Evans for Services at Lambeth 4th February 1890’ with swivel silver straight bar suspension and silver buckle on ribbon, minor edge bruising, good very fine
£200-250
Ex A.N.S. Collection, Morton & Eden 25/26 October 2006. Ref. Case number 14,290.
Approximately 51 bronze 3rd type medals were awarded, as opposed to approximately 159 silver medals of that type. 581 ROYAL SOCIETY FOR THE PROTECTION OF LIFE FROM FIRE, 3rd type, white metal, unnamed, unmounted, nearly extremely fine £40-60
www.dnw.co.uk
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54 |
Page 55 |
Page 56 |
Page 57 |
Page 58 |
Page 59 |
Page 60 |
Page 61 |
Page 62 |
Page 63 |
Page 64 |
Page 65 |
Page 66 |
Page 67 |
Page 68 |
Page 69 |
Page 70 |
Page 71 |
Page 72 |
Page 73 |
Page 74 |
Page 75 |
Page 76 |
Page 77 |
Page 78 |
Page 79 |
Page 80 |
Page 81 |
Page 82 |
Page 83 |
Page 84 |
Page 85 |
Page 86 |
Page 87 |
Page 88 |
Page 89 |
Page 90 |
Page 91 |
Page 92 |
Page 93 |
Page 94 |
Page 95 |
Page 96 |
Page 97 |
Page 98 |
Page 99 |
Page 100 |
Page 101 |
Page 102 |
Page 103 |
Page 104 |
Page 105 |
Page 106 |
Page 107 |
Page 108 |
Page 109 |
Page 110 |
Page 111 |
Page 112 |
Page 113 |
Page 114 |
Page 115 |
Page 116 |
Page 117 |
Page 118 |
Page 119 |
Page 120 |
Page 121 |
Page 122 |
Page 123 |
Page 124 |
Page 125 |
Page 126 |
Page 127 |
Page 128 |
Page 129 |
Page 130 |
Page 131 |
Page 132 |
Page 133 |
Page 134 |
Page 135 |
Page 136 |
Page 137 |
Page 138 |
Page 139 |
Page 140 |
Page 141 |
Page 142 |
Page 143 |
Page 144 |
Page 145 |
Page 146 |
Page 147 |
Page 148 |
Page 149 |
Page 150 |
Page 151 |
Page 152 |
Page 153 |
Page 154 |
Page 155 |
Page 156 |
Page 157 |
Page 158 |
Page 159 |
Page 160 |
Page 161 |
Page 162 |
Page 163 |
Page 164 |
Page 165 |
Page 166 |
Page 167 |
Page 168 |
Page 169 |
Page 170 |
Page 171 |
Page 172 |
Page 173 |
Page 174 |
Page 175 |
Page 176 |
Page 177 |
Page 178 |
Page 179 |
Page 180 |
Page 181 |
Page 182 |
Page 183 |
Page 184 |
Page 185 |
Page 186 |
Page 187 |
Page 188 |
Page 189 |
Page 190 |
Page 191 |
Page 192 |
Page 193 |
Page 194 |
Page 195 |
Page 196 |
Page 197 |
Page 198 |
Page 199 |
Page 200 |
Page 201 |
Page 202 |
Page 203 |
Page 204 |
Page 205 |
Page 206 |
Page 207 |
Page 208 |
Page 209 |
Page 210 |
Page 211 |
Page 212 |
Page 213 |
Page 214 |
Page 215 |
Page 216 |
Page 217 |
Page 218 |
Page 219 |
Page 220 |
Page 221 |
Page 222 |
Page 223 |
Page 224 |
Page 225 |
Page 226 |
Page 227 |
Page 228 |
Page 229 |
Page 230 |
Page 231 |
Page 232 |
Page 233 |
Page 234 |
Page 235 |
Page 236 |
Page 237 |
Page 238 |
Page 239 |
Page 240 |
Page 241 |
Page 242 |
Page 243 |
Page 244 |
Page 245 |
Page 246 |
Page 247 |
Page 248 |
Page 249 |
Page 250 |
Page 251 |
Page 252 |
Page 253 |
Page 254 |
Page 255 |
Page 256 |
Page 257 |
Page 258 |
Page 259 |
Page 260 |
Page 261 |
Page 262 |
Page 263 |
Page 264 |
Page 265 |
Page 266 |
Page 267 |
Page 268 |
Page 269 |
Page 270 |
Page 271 |
Page 272 |
Page 273 |
Page 274 |
Page 275 |
Page 276 |
Page 277 |
Page 278 |
Page 279 |
Page 280 |
Page 281 |
Page 282 |
Page 283 |
Page 284 |
Page 285 |
Page 286 |
Page 287 |
Page 288 |
Page 289 |
Page 290 |
Page 291 |
Page 292 |
Page 293 |
Page 294 |
Page 295 |
Page 296 |
Page 297 |
Page 298 |
Page 299 |
Page 300 |
Page 301 |
Page 302