Life Saving Medals from the Collection of John Wilson 598
ORDER OF
ST.JOHN LIFESAVING MEDAL, 2nd type, bronze (Presented to Police Corpl. George Gilham, 14th July, 1902) mounted as worn, minor edge bruise, very fine
£300-350 Ex W. H. Fevyer Collection, 25 September 2008.
‘Bronze Medal awarded for gallant conduct at Orford on 13th July 1901, in stopping a runaway horse and cart. Corporal Gilham was dragged some yards, the wheels of the cart passing over and badly injuring him. His plucky and timely act saved the lives of several children who were playing in the road at the time’. (Extract from Library archives) Note: the date on the medal would be when the medal was presented.
George Gilham was born on 17 August 1868 in Bishopsbourne, near Canterbury, the son of James and Frances Gilham, George Gilham lived at Bossingham Street, Upper Hardres, Canterbury. He worked as a shepherd and then a labourer for Colonel Laurie, MP, at Hardres Court until he was 20. Then, on 10 January 1889 he applied to join the Kent Constabulary, his application being supported by Colonel Laurie and others.
He was appointed to the force on 10 May 1889 (warrant number 228). His first posting was to Ashford on 6 July 1889, then to Challock Lees on 6 August 1891) where he was promoted to Constable 2nd Class, and Westwell on 26 January 1893. Gilham married Sarah Ann Rollings in 1893 in Bridge, Kent, by whom he had at least three children. On 6 July 1896, he was posted to Chilham and was promoted to Constable 1st Class on 21 January 1897 and then to Corporal on 8 June 1900. He was then posted to Otford on 11 June 1900. He was commended on 20 August 1900 for detective work there on a case of theft and again commended on 2 March 1901 for work following a theft of 22 birds. Promoted Sergeant 2nd Class on 26 April 1902, Gilham was posted to Northfleet on 28 April that year. On 30 July 1902 the Constabulary granted him a ‘special merit mark’ for his actions in Otford the previous year. Gilham was commended on 15 April 1906 by Northfleet magistrates for two arrests he had made. He transferred to Chatham on 17 October 1907 and then to Old Brompton on 3 January 1913. George Gilham retired from Kent Constabulary on 22 July 1914 and was granted a pension of £61.5s.9d per annum.
With copied research. 599 JERSEY HUMANE SOCIETY, silver (A. J. Bellis) nearly extremely fine, rare £800-900
Ex Baldwin’s 11 October 1999; ex James Spencer Collection, D.N.W. 16 December 2003.
Silver Medals, awarded to Alexander Joseph Bellis and Howard Morris, for saving from drowning, near Table Rock, the Reverend George Hale of Cambridge.
‘It was on Friday 22nd September 1865 at around 7 p.m., when the Reverend George Hale of Cambridge, who was on holiday in the Island approached Howard Morris aged 16 years who was standing on a rock in St. Clement’s Bay and asked when it would be high water, and being told it was already so, immediately stripped off and swam out a short distance. However, making his way back, he attempted to regain the rock where the young Morris was standing, but the tide swept him out again some distance into deep water. He tried to shout to Morris who could not understand what he was saying, but it was obvious that the swimmer was in difficulty and danger.
It was at this point that Morris was joined by his friend Allexander Bellis, also aged 16 years, and they immediately swam out to the Reverend Hale to try and help. On reaching him, they found he was so exhausted he was unable to talk, so each seized an arm of the drowning man and attempted to bring him to safety on the rocks. The pull of the tide was however, so strong that they had to struggle for nearly fifteen minutes before they achieved success. By the time they got him to the shore, he was totally exhausted, speechless, but conscious. The two young rescuers were also very tired after their efforts and as soon as the Reverend Hale was able, he thanked both the boys for saving him from almost certain drowning. (Extract from Some Notes on the Jersey Humane Society, by Stuart W. Elliott, L. S.A.R.S. Journal 14, p.4 - 19).
The above was the first occasion the Society’s Silver medal was awarded. 600
HUNDRED OF SALFORD HUMANE SOCIETY, 1st type, silver (William Olive, August 1878) edge bruise, good very fine, scarce
£180-220 Ex James Spencer Collection, D.N.W. 16 December 2003.
The Humane Society for the Hundred of Salford was founded in 1789 and was revived in 1824 after being dormant for some years. The rather scarce 1st (circular) type was replaced c.1884 by the more common hollow cruciform type.
601
scarce
Ex W. H. Fevyer Collection, D.N.W. 25 September 2008. HUNDRED OF SALFORD HUMANE SOCIETY, 1st type, bronze (Alexander McDonald, April 1875) edge bruising, nearly very fine,
£100-140
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