Life Saving Awards
In May 1920, the Committee of Lloyd’s awarded their Silver Medal for Saving Life at Sea to the following five men of the Oxonian in recognition of their particularly heroic services on the occasion of the sinking of the S.S. Bradboyne: Stephen Wilkinson, Nelson Watson, Arthur Malabar, James Thomas Owen and Robert Archibold Fulton.
The Liverpool Shipwreck and Humane Society made awards to just four men of the Oxonian: The Master John Parry was awarded a silver medal, a pair of binoculars and an illuminated certificate; Stephen Wilkinson received a silver medal and a certificate of thanks; Nelson Watson received a silver medal and an illuminated certificate; and Arthur Malabar was awarded a silver medal.
In September 1921, the Shipwrecked Fishermen & Mariners Royal Benevolent Society gathered to present their chief life saving awards for 1920. These awards bear the name of the late Mr. Emile Robin who provided the necessary funds with the stipulation that the interest should go to the captain and chief officer of the British vessel which had carried out the most meritorious rescue of the crew of another ship in that year. This was adjudged by the committee of the society to be Captain Parry and Mr Wilkinson, the Chief Officer. To the former was awarded an aneroid barometer and a cheque for £16 and to Mr Wilkinson, a silver medal and £4. All the other members of the Oxonian also received silver medals and monetary awards. The next of kin of four of the Oxonian’s crew who lost their lives during the rescue also received silver memorium medals.
Nelson Watson was born in Sunderland, Co. Durham, in 1892. He qualified as Second Mate in a foreign going steamship of the Merchant Navy on 14 October 1912, advancing to First Mate in October 1915 and Master in November 1919. He was commissioned Temporary Sub-Lieutenant in the Royal Naval Reserve on 8 May 1916, Temporary Acting Lieutenant on 23 December 1916 and Temporary Lieutenant on 8 May 1918. Watson served during the Great War in the protected cruiser H.M.S. Hyacinth from which vessel he was discharged in July 1919. He was demobilised on 8 November 1919.
On 6 February 1920, Watson was present as Third Officer of the Oxonian (Master, John Parry) at the rescue of 23 officers and men of S. S. Bradboyne in the mid Atlantic. Having commanded the rescue boat which successfully saved 20 men of the Bradboyne in circumstances of tremendous risk, and also having subsequently ventured over the side of the Oxonian with ropes in an endeavour save further lives, Nelson Watson was one of just four men of the Oxonian to be decorated by all four organisations which bestowed medals on the men of the Oxonian (details above) for their life saving efforts on that occasion. The others being The Master, John Parry; the First Officer Stephen Wilkinson; and the 3rd Engineer, Arthur Malabar, the latter three also being afforded the special privilege of having their Board of Trade Sea Gallantry Medals bestowed by H.M. the King at Buckingham Palace on 4 November 1920.
540
Society for the Protection of Life from Fire, 5th type (1902-83), bronze (Pol. Con: W. E. Odey, Lewisham High St., S.E.13 13-2-46) with integral top riband bar, in its John Pinches case of issue; together with an Elliott Alves Medal, silver, the reverse inscribed ‘Shooting team competition open to British Police, runner-up 1927’, the edge engraved ‘P.C. Odey’; a West Kent Rifle League Medal, silver, the reverse engraved ‘P. C. Odey 1927’; and a British Police Championship Medal, silver, the reverse engraved ‘Commissioners Cup 1927, Runners Up, P. C. Odey’ the first extremely fine, the shooting medals very fine (4)
£100-£140
Society for the Prevention of Life from Fire Case No. 17626: Inspector James Wilkie McAndrew: Bronze Medal Sgt James Arthur leslie Digby: Bronze Medal PC Frank Walter James Guy: Bronze Medal PC William Edward Odey: Bronze Medal
The Metropolitan Police Central Records of Service for McAndrew, Guy and Odey all contain a commendation for ‘action in attempting to rescue two men from a burning building.’ These three were also commended at Lewisham Coroner’s Court in Police Orders, 22 March 1946.
541 542
Bolton & District Humane Society, large bronze medal, 51mm, unnamed, in damaged case of issue; together with a silver presentation tobacco tin, 90mm in diameter, the lid inscribed ‘Hulton Colliery Co. Ltd., to John Bullough, A Souvenir of the Pit Sinking 1900-04’., nearly extremely fine (2)
£80-£120
Bolton & District Humane Society Medal for the Hulton Colliery Disaster 1910, 35mm, bronze, unnamed, very fine
£300-£400
On 21 December 1910 a terrible explosion occurred at the No. 3 Bank (Pretoria) Pit at Hulton Colliery, near Atherton. The explosion wrecked a portion of the casting of the upcast shaft. A large number of miners had their escape blocked by the fall of earth and died from the effects of poisonous gas. A total of 370 men were killed in the disaster - the worst mining accident to have occurred in Lancashire and the third worst mining disaster in British mining history. A total of 10 Edward Medals in Bronze were awarded to those involved in the rescue. The Bolton & District Humane Society had struck a special medal to reward those active in the rescue operations - 160 were awarded.
543 544 545
Cannock Chase Coal Owners Rescue Brigades, silver medal for 5 years service (A. T. Jones) with silver ‘rope’ suspension stamped Walker & Hall, Sheffield, and top brooch bar, very fine and scarce
£60-£80
R.S.P.C.A. Life Saving Medal, silver (Chief Inspector Whiting. 1941) with integral to ‘For Humanity’ riband bar, in fitted case of issue, minor edge nicks, nearly extremely fine
£220-£260
R.S.P.C.A. Life Saving Medal, silver (Willis Dixon), complete with ‘For Humanity’ brooch bar, in fitted case of issue, good very fine
£180-£220
www.dnw.co.uk all lots are illustrated on our website and are subject to buyers’ premium at 24% (+VAT where applicable)
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