Visit to Ireland Medal 1911

[Noor]

Hi all,

Looks like these Police awards are coming in threes. One month period I have found Coronation (Police) 1911, 1887 Jubile Medal and today I picked up randomly Visit to Ireland Medal 1911.

Like I understand granted to prominent civic dignitaries and members of the Irish police forces involved in the royal visit to Ireland which took place on 7th July 1911. Designed by Sir Bertram McKennal. Awarded in total 2,477 medals.

I presume it is not very common award? How much usually they sell for (just to be sure what kind a deal I did - good or bad).

Edited April 30, 2011 by Noor

[Mervyn Mitton]

Hi - Timo. With 2477 issued it will never be a common medal. Families tend to guard them closely - as indeed they should. There was also an Edward 7th. Visit to Ireland medal - not sure how many of these were issued ? You're picking-up some good material.

[Noor]

There was also an Edward 7th. Visit to Ireland medal - not sure how many of these were issued ?

Thanks Mervyn for your comment!

King Edward VII medal is a beauty and I don't have it (yet ). I know that the 1903 visit medals was awarded much more - 7,757. A year 1900 visit medal have been produced almost similar number then my 1911 visit - 2,285.

However, I saw one trio (1900/1903/1911) for a sale well over 1,000 euro. Well over priced or maybe I missed something regarding previous owner of the set

Regards,

Timo

[Peter Mc]

The Medal

To commemorate the Royal Visit to Ireland of Queen Victoria in 1900 and that of King Edward VII in 1903, special bronze medals were struck and issued to Irish Police Forces on duty at those times. A silver medal was issued in recognition of the Visit of King George V to Ireland in July 1911 and was notified in the Royal Irish Constabulary Lists as follows:

MEDAL COMMEMORATIVE OF THE VISIT OF KING GEORGE V TO IRELAND IN 1911

By Command of His Majesty a silver Commemorative Medal was issued to all Officers and Men of the Royal Irish Constabulary, and of the Dublin Metropolitan Police, who were then on duty in Dublin. The Medal is also held by the Members of the Civil Service Staffs of the Royal Irish Constabulary and Dublin Metropolitan Police Offices, Dublin Castle.

The ribbon of the 1911 Visit Medal is dark green flanked by two red stripes, reflecting the colours of the RIC. It was designed by Sir Edgar Bertram Mackennal, whose initial 'B.M.' appear on the lower right front.

Numbers Issued

Based on Royal Mint records (MINT 20/468) the actual distribution of the medals was as follows:

Royal Irish Constabulary - 1022

RIC Office Staff - 24

Dublin Metropolitan Police - 1314

DMP Office Staff - 4

St John Ambulance Brigade - 92

Kingstown Harbour Police - 11

Phoenix Park and St Stephens Green Police - 10

TOTAL - 2477

764 yards of ribbon was purchased from Messrs Redmayne at a cost of £36/12s/2d; and the weight of the silver bullion used in the manufacture of the medals was 2631.12 ozs.

The order was completed on the 28th June 1912

Details of the Royal Visit

King George V, Queen Alexandra and their entourage arrived in the Royal Yachts Victoria & Albert and Alexandra, escorted by the cruisers Cochrane and Carnarvon, together with ships of the First and Second Battle Squadrons and Second and Third Cruiser Squadrons of the Home Fleet. They arrived at Kingstown Harbour (now Dun Laoghaire) on the evening of July 7th where they lay at anchor for the evening. 27 ships in all formed the Naval Review and the entire Fleet was illuminated overnight.

The Royal Party landed on Irish soil at 10:30am on the 8th July, and then traveled to Dublin Castle. At Ballsbridge, they were met by Assistant Inspector-General W A O'Connell, with his Adjutant Frederick R St Lawrence Tyrell, Riding Master Major Richard Edwin Odlum, DI George D'Urban Rodwell and DI Gilbert N Potter, with 200 men and the Band of the Royal Irish Constabulary. The procession was then led by the Mounted Force into Dublin Castle.

That afternoon the King and Queen opened the new Royal College of Science (now part of Government Buildings) and visited Trinity College and the Phoenix Park racecourse. Here they inspected a Guard of Honor of 200 RIC plus band, under County Inspector W.H.R. Heard. It was reported that the King enquired of Constable Francis McCready (60123) of the Tyrone Force as to his Royal Humane Society medal, who told him it was for saving a woman's life from fire in Cookstown in 1911. On July 10th the King visited Maynooth College.

Apparently racing was high on the agenda for on the 10th July the King attended Leopardstown racecourse. On the 11th, the King and Queen inspected the RIC in front of the Vice Regal Lodge in Phoenix Park. 17 officers and 394 men (including 40 members of the Mounted Force) under the command of C.I. Heard were present.

King George V left Ireland on the 12th July. The visit of Queen Elizabeth on May 17th 2011, nearly 100 years later, brings the British Monarch back to the 26 Counties in an official capacity for the first time since Independence.

Medal distribution

The Visit to Ireland medals were distributed to the RIC at the end of July 1912, at a special parade in the Phoenix Park Depot. Unlike the 1900 and 1903 Visit medals, they did not come with a suspension clasp and would have had to be sewn directly onto the tunic. Fortunately the Armourer Sergeant was able to procure clasps – it is not known if members of the force had to pay for these – and these are occasionally found with the original ribbons.

To augment the RIC and DMP constabularies during the Royal Visit, 200 extra men were drafted in from outlying counties and a further cohort provided from Belfast.

St John Ambulance Brigade

The King granted the right to wear the medal to those members of the St John Ambulance on duty during his stay. These medals were presented on Thursday 18 July 1912 in Lord Iveagh's gardens, St Stephens Green by Mr Justice Ross. The corps was under the command of Dr Lumsden, St James Gate Division.

St James Gate Division – 53 officers and men

Messrs Jacobs Division – 17 officers and men

City of Dublin Division – 12 officers and men

City of Dublin Nursing Division – Lady Superintendent and 5 nurses

Edited September 15, 2017 by Peter Mc
Photobucket images fixed

[Noor]

Hi Peter,

I don't think there can be any more details to find out about this medal! Amazing work and thank you very much for posting it to here!

As you can see, my ribbon is incorrect.... much wider. Bought it separately as a "close enough". Still, because I haven't seen that medal around often and the price was more then good, I am very thrilled!

Regards,

Timo

[Noor]

And one medallion what is very interesting to be able to pick up especially today, when exactly 100 years later of the last visit, British monarch is a visitor here in Dublin again.

Any ideas who got these or what it is exactly would be great. I presume it is just some of the many commemorative medallions only?

[Robin Lumsden]

Very topical, given current events!

http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-31749_162-20063726-10391698.html

[Peter Mc]

Timo, I believe the medallion you refer to was just one of a number of commercially made variants offered for sale, or purchased in bulk by civic bodies to issue at the event. For example, during the 1900 Visit, thousands of schoolchildren were given a medal when attending Phoenix Park. These sometimes appear on the market as 'gallantry' medals as they have 'To commemorate Irish valour' on the reverse.

The sharp eyed amongst you wil have noticed my deliberate mistake in the 1911 article further up. It was of course Qheen Mary who accompanied George, not Alexandra.

Edited May 18, 2011 by Peter Mc