1887, 1902 and 1911 Triple Medal Set

[Retired1811]

Greetings from the Great State of Texas!!

I have a triple medal set comprised of the Jubilee of Her Majesty Queen Victoria - 1887, Coronation of His Majesty King Edward VII - 1902 and Coronation of 1911 all issued/engraved to P.S. J. STEVENS W. DIV.

I have been told that only about 600 police officers received all 3 of these medals. Is that information accurate?

Many Thanks and if any of you are headed to the Military Tattoo Festival in August..............we'll see you there...............

Best Regards

[Brett Hendey]

I think the medal group is even better than you have indicated, because the 1887 Jubilee medal has the clasp for the 1897 Jubilee as well. The man to whom the medals were awarded must be researchable. Perhaps someone else can suggest the best way get the research started.

Regards

Brett

[Retired1811]

I think the medal group is even better than you have indicated, because the 1887 Jubilee medal has the clasp for the 1897 Jubilee as well. The man to whom the medals were awarded must be researchable. Perhaps someone else can suggest the best way get the research started.

Regards

Brett

Yes you are quite correct. I had failed to mention that in my original post!!!! Thanks

[Odin Mk 3]

I have been told that only about 600 police officers received all 3 of these medals. Is that information accurate?

No that information was stated by John Farmery in his excellent article on Police Jubilee and Coronation Medals in the OMRS Miscellany of Honours No 7 issued in 1985. He based that figure on the number of Met Officers who joined before June 1887 and retired after June 1911. Unfortunately he failed to take into account the fact that many retired officers rejoined for a short period to help with policing the 1911 Coronation, thereby qualifying for the 1911 Medal. I would estimate that the number who received all three medals (plus the 1897 bar) is probably nearer 1800. However it is still nice to get a set of all three medals as many have become broken groups, especially those to men who were awarded the 1911 Medal as pensioners. Often they didn't mount their last medal with the first two and in time the medals become seperated - I have a couple of broken groups like that where the 1911 Medal is missing.

I am slightly perplexed by your comment all issued / engraved to P.S. J. STEVENS W. DIV. as I can't actually find anyone who would fit. First the 1911 Medal only shows the man's name and rank ie P.S. J. STEVENS. Also there is no J. Stevens who was a PS in W Div thoughout that period. There is a James Stevens who joined 11/12/82 with the Warrant Number 67311. He retired 14/12/1908 as a PS in W Div. There is also a pensioner James Stevens who rejoined in June 1911 with the temporary Warrant Number O3663 who went to X Div but is possibly the same man (there was also a A/PS James Stevens in X Div who left in 1908 who is the only other candidate). For the man with Warrant No. 67311 he earned the 1887 Medal as a PC in B Div, by the time the 1897 bar was issued he was a PS in W Div. He also earned his 1902 Medal as a PS in W Div. So you can understand my confusion. By the way B Div is Chelsea, W Div is Clapham and X Div is Kilburn.

Would welcome more information on exactly how the medals are named.

[Retired1811]

I have been told that only about 600 police officers received all 3 of these medals. Is that information accurate?

No that information was stated by John Farmery in his excellent article on Police Jubilee and Coronation Medals in the OMRS Miscellany of Honours No 7 issued in 1985. He based that figure on the number of Met Officers who joined before June 1887 and retired after June 1911. Unfortunately he failed to take into account the fact that many retired officers rejoined for a short period to help with policing the 1911 Coronation, thereby qualifying for the 1911 Medal. I would estimate that the number who received all three medals (plus the 1897 bar) is probably nearer 1800. However it is still nice to get a set of all three medals as many have become broken groups, especially those to men who were awarded the 1911 Medal as pensioners. Often they didn't mount their last medal with the first two and in time the medals become seperated - I have a couple of broken groups like that where the 1911 Medal is missing.

I am slightly perplexed by your comment all issued / engraved to P.S. J. STEVENS W. DIV. as I can't actually find anyone who would fit. First the 1911 Medal only shows the man's name and rank ie P.S. J. STEVENS. Also there is no J. Stevens who was a PS in W Div thoughout that period. There is a James Stevens who joined 11/12/82 with the Warrant Number 67311. He retired 14/12/1908 as a PS in W Div. There is also a pensioner James Stevens who rejoined in June 1911 with the temporary Warrant Number O3663 who went to X Div but is possibly the same man (there was also a A/PS James Stevens in X Div who left in 1908 who is the only other candidate). For the man with Warrant No. 67311 he earned the 1887 Medal as a PC in B Div, by the time the 1897 bar was issued he was a PS in W Div. He also earned his 1902 Medal as a PS in W Div. So you can understand my confusion. By the way B Div is Chelsea, W Div is Clapham and X Div is Kilburn.

Would welcome more information on exactly how the medals are named.

Wow!!! This is great!!! The 1887 medal was awarded to PC J STEVENS in B Div not W Div..........my bad........sorry..... The other 2 medals have his name and W Div.........so I assume this man with Warrant No. 67311 is the correct J STEVENS. I assume PC is police constable...............and PS would be????? Do you have any more information available on Mr. Stevens?

Thanks

[Odin Mk 3]

Yes I'm sure your man is Warrant Number 67311 now that you have confirmed he has PC .... B Div on his 1887 Medal. Yes PC is Police Constable and PS is Police Sergeant.

When he joined he started as a PC in S Div (Hampstead). His entry from the Attestation Register with his signature is attached below. He must have transferred to B Div (Chelsea) before 1887.

Met Officers (Sergeants and Constables) also had a divisional number which they wore on the collars of their tunic and on their helmet plates. I can tell you that when he retired PS Stevens was number 1WR, the lower numbers were kept for Sergeants, the W is his Division, the R denotes he was part of the Reserve. Most officers worked on a beat with the Sergeant monitoring his Constables but a few selected officers were formed into a mobile reserve who did not work a normal beat. So if you ever find a photo of a Sergeant with the 1887 and 1902 ribbons on his tunic and 1WR on his collar it is probably PS Steven's picture taken just before retirement (which quite a few officers seemed to have done).

When he retired he got a Class 1 Certificate for his service (= Excellent).

Unfortunately I don't think there will be a service certificate for him in the National Archives but there will be some pension papers under reference MEPO 21. And that is about all I can tell you although he should appear in the 1891, 1901 and 1911 censuses which will give a little more information about his address and family.

Edited December 1, 2010 by Odin Mk 3

[Retired1811]

Yes I'm sure your man is Warrant Number 67311 now that you have confirmed he has PC .... B Div on his 1887 Medal. Yes PC is Police Constable and PS is Police Sergeant.

When he joined he started as a PC in S Div (Hampstead). His entry from the Attestation Register with his signature is attached below. He must have transferred to B Div (Chelsea) before 1887.

Met Officers (Sergeants and Constables) also had a divisional number which they wore on the collars of their tunic and on their helmet plates. I can tell you that when he retired PS Stevens was number 1WR, the lower numbers were kept for Sergeants, the W is his Division, the R denotes he was part of the Reserve. Most officers worked on a beat with the Sergeant monitoring his Constables but a few selected officers were formed into a mobile reserve who did not work a normal beat. So if you ever find a photo of a Sergeant with the 1887 and 1902 ribbons on his tunic and 1WR on his collar it is probably PS Steven's picture taken just before retirement (which quite a few officers seemed to have done).

When he retired he got a Class 1 Certificate for his service (= Excellent).

Unfortunately I don't think there will be a service certificate for him in the National Archives but there will be some pension papers under reference MEPO 21. And that is about all I can tell you although he should appear in the 1891, 1901 and 1911 censuses which will give a little more information about his address and family.

Thanks SO much for that information. I appreciate it more than you know. May I have your permission to cut and paste this post to a blank word document for future reference?

[Odin Mk 3]

I have absolutely no problem with you copying the information for future reference.

I am always happy to try and answer queries from Forum Members about Met Police Coronation & Jubilee Medals if I can. Apart from other information from the Police Orders I do have copies of the attestation entries for Warrant Numbers 51491 - 100999 (does show the man's signature on joining and the division where he first served) plus the discharge entries between March 1889 - December 1922 if anyone wants something looking up.

[Retired1811]

I have absolutely no problem with you copying the information for future reference.

I am always happy to try and answer queries from Forum Members about Met Police Coronation & Jubilee Medals if I can. Apart from other information from the Police Orders I do have copies of the attestation entries for Warrant Numbers 51491 - 100999 (does show the man's signature on joining and the division where he first served) plus the discharge entries between March 1889 - December 1922 if anyone wants something looking up.

Thank you !!!!!!! I appreciate that very much........................:cheers: