police ambulance service medal

[Guest pikemedals]

hi,can anyone tell me anything on the 1902 police ambulance medal as i just got one today in a group.all i know on this medal is only 204 issued in brozne and 1 in silver.any help will do please paul

[Ralph]

The 1902 Coronation Medal was awarded to those police officers who were on duty during the Coronation procession/celebrations and was awarded in Bronze and Silver - this being dependant on the rank of the recipient.

The Medal reverse had the name of the force in which the recipient was serving

- City of London Police

- Metropolitan Police

- L.C.C. Metropolitan Fire Brigade

- Police Ambulance Service

- St. John Ambulance Brigade

Of the above the Metropolitan Police revese was the most cxommon.

[Guest pikemedals]

hi,do anyone know if there is a medal roll at kew for this medal paul

[derek.bunning]

Re the lists of 1902 coronation silver medals to Metropolitan Police and the City of London Police helpfully provided by Pikemedals, can you please tell me the source of these lists. I am also trying to identify the recipients of the silver medals to the London Fire Brigade, the St John Ambulance and also the single one to the Police Ambulance. 

[Odin Mk 3]

I understand the only silver 1902 medal issued with the Police Ambulance Service reverse was awarded to A O MacKillar who was Chief Surgeon to the Metropolitan Police.

The list of silver 1902 Coronation (Police) Medals issued to the Metropolitan Police and City of London Police (plus the unique PAS Medal mentioned above) was originally included in the excellent article written by John P Farmery entitled Jubilee and Coronation Medals: Police Issues 1887-1911.  This article was printed in the Orders and Medals Research Society Miscellany of Honours No 7 (published 1985).  The Miscellany of Honours were occasionally printed by the OMRS and were in addition to the normal Society's Journals.  M of H No 7  is long out of print but second hand copies do turn up regularly at Medal and Militaria fairs for a few pounds. 

The whole article is a superb reference source for this series of medals and also shows how many bronze medals were awarded to each Met Division, tabled by rank (eg 1887 H Div 1 Supt, 1 Ch Insp, 17 Insp, 38 PS, 465 PC + CID Officers (1 Insp, 8 PS, 6 PC).  To be honest having read the article is one of the main reasons why I first got interested in these medals.  I normally buy any copies of the M of H No 7 I see at fairs if they are not too expensive; ultimately I end up passing them on to other collectors but before you ask sorry I don't have loads of spares at present.

Final point  - the article indicates there were no awards of silver medals to either the LCC Metropolitan Fire Brigade or the St John Ambulance Brigade.

[derek.bunning]

Odin

Thank you for your comprehensive and prompt reply, it is very helpful. I have managed to track a copy of Miscellany of Honours 7 in the US and have bought it. I'm sure it will be very helpful.

With reference to the silver medal to the Police Ambulance to A O MacKillar is this documented anywhere?

Finally re the silver medal to the LFB, two have come up at auction recently one at Spink and one at DNW which was part of a large collection of Coronation medals including a silver one to a Met Officer.  I will try to check the yearly report by the Royal Mint to see if that can shed light on this.

Derek

[Odin Mk 3]

I'm not aware of any silver medals to the LCC MFB.  JP Farmery seems to suggest that none were issued and his background research work on this subject is quite extensive. 

A word of caution here - a few years ago I came across a silver 1902 medal named to  a Mr F King; he was the Assistant Surveyor in the Receiver's Office.  Now Mr King did in fact earn a silver medal but the one I saw, after careful examination, was clearly a plated bronze medal which had been named up to King before plating.  I suspect it started life as one of the blank spares held by the Met as possible replacements for lost medals. Probably some spares were also held by the MFB.

Sorry I have no information on the whereabouts of A O MacKillar's medal but I have just been looking at some service sheets for men who joined in 1899 - the examination page has a box for the Surgeon's Certificate to say the man was considered fit for Police Service - the sample I looked at were all signed by MacKillar as Chief Surgeon, either with his full name or just with the letters AOMK.  

[derek.bunning]

Odin

Thanks for your information I will continue my research and update when I have something.

 

[derek.bunning]

Odin

 

I now have  a response to an enquiry to the London Fire Brigade museum that indicates that there were nine silver medals issued to officers of the rank of superintendent and above with approx 1050 bronze medals. I will try to identify the names of all the recipients. 

 

Derek

[Odin Mk 3]

I must admit that I would have expected there to be a few silver medals to the LFB for issue to their senior officers, although I've never seen anything documented on that subject.  Possibly Mr Farmery for his article had not explored that area fully either.  

I have only really concentrated on the Met Police issues as they are the ones I collect - mainly because they are more researchable.  In my collection I have just one 1911 Coronation Medal to the London Fire Brigade. 

You are probably breaking new ground with this one Derek - keep up the good work!

[derek.bunning]

Odin

Thanks for the encouragement, my intention is to create a medal roll for all the 1902 Police silver medals so will continue. Thanks for your help and support.I will keep you posted.

Derek

[MetPolice]

A LCC MFB silver medal came up in a DNW sale not long ago... along with a silver to the Met to a Supt in S Div

DNW 25 February 2015

Lot224 Charles Dodd, Supt. S Div. £880

Lot 225 Samuel Riddle (in 1889 officer i/c Bethnal Green Fire Stn) £1000 IIRC

Cheers, Zeb

Edited May 30, 2015 by MetPolice

[derek.bunning]

Zeb

Thanks for the info I am aware that another silver medal to the LFB was sold at Spink in November 2014. This one to Charles S Egerton which fetched £520.  The one at DNW was part of a substantial collection of Coronation medals. I will keep on with the research adnd post my results.

Derek 

 

[MetPolice]

Derek, 

I have seen a roll (privately done) for some of the LCCMFB coronation medals. I am not sure if one of them has 1902, but will try to check for you soon. I don't have a copy, so it may take a while... 

When you do complete your roll, you could ask the LFB museum to provide you with a copy of the Supts service records - I think there is only a small fee, will have to check. 

Looking forward to seeing your roll (and other research?) when done... 

Cheers, Zeb