Metropolitan Police The Burnham Family

[paul wood]

Dear All a very interesting family group of medals has appeared which are the following

1887 Jubilee with 1897 clasp (Inspr. W. Burnham G. Divn.). This is the same Inspector Burnham who was in charge of Policing the funeral procession of the Ripper victim Catherine Eddowes once it had left the City. Interestingly the medal is bronze-gilt, is this in anyway official

1897 Jubilee and 1902 Coronation (PC/PS W Burnham F Divn.) also with named 1902 miniature

1902 and 1911 Coronation (Inspr. T. Burham T. Division; 1911 also named Inspr. W Burnham but without Division).

Also with the Group is a Great War Pair with 1937 Coronation (625598 Gnr. W.C. Burnham H.A.C. Art.) and an anonymous WWII Defence Medal

Additionally there is a Royal Mint small silver 1902 Coronation commemorative the reverse of the envelope inscribed From C.G. to W.B. 19.9.03.

What makes this grouping slightly confusing is that all the Burnhams have the initials W. I believe I am right in assuming they related to Four members of the family. If anyone has further information which would throw light on the group I would be most grateful.

All the best,

Paul

[paul wood]

Third group should read Inspr. W. Burnham T Divn.

Paul

[Odin Mk 3]

I believe this are actually only two groups of police medals here:

Inspector William Burnham was Warrant Number 49393 joined 03/02/1868 and was pensioned 28/12/1891 as an Inspector serving in G Div (he was actually a Sub Divisional Inspector which is a slightly higher grade and would have been in charge of several Police Stations within G Div ). He would have earned the 1887 Medal as an Insp in G Div. He then re-joined as Warrant Number 82296 as a pensioner for the 1897 Jubilee (adding the bar to his medal) and re-joined again in 1902 as Warrant Number 1719 for the 1902 Coronation - this medal is named to him as an Insp in T Div (this is the first medal in the third group above). He had probably moved a bit further out of London by then and fell within a different Police district.

The second William Burnham joined with the Warrant Number 77180 as a PC in F Div 23/11/1891 - he received the 1897 Medal as a PC in F Div and the 1902 Coronation Medal as a PS in F Div. He then earned the 1911 Coronation Medal as an Inspector (second medal in the third group). He retired 29/12/1919 as a Divisional Detective Inspector in G Div - a similar level to a Sub Divisional Inspector. There will be a service sheet for this man in the MEPO 4 series of records.

I would hazard a guess that these medals are Father and Son groups and a census check would probably confirm that.

More importantly I cannot find a third Inspector W Burnham in the Met at this time so that adds support to my claim that there are only two policemen here and not three.

For reference F Div = Paddington, G Div = Finsbury, T Div = Hammersmith.

I can through no light on the third man I'm afraid. It's outwith my area of interest.

I have come across the earlier police medals that have been plated in silver but some of these bronze Jubilee Medals that haven't been polished still have their original finish which can almost look like gilt.

Edited July 23, 2014 by Odin Mk 3

[Odin Mk 3]

Below is a copy of the service sheet for Insp W Burnham the younger. It shows he was promoted to PS in CID which suggests to me that he was already a detective constable and accounts for why he did not have to move from F Div when he was promoted to PS. Uniformed officers normally changed division on promotion but detectives seem to be able to get promoted without moving.

He subsequently moved to Scotland Yard (CO Div) and then his later promotions involve moving to pick up the higher grade posts.

Edited July 23, 2014 by Odin Mk 3

[paul wood]

Odin,

Thank you so much for the information, as you can appreciate, different divisions and identical initials can cause considerable confusion. You have been extremely helpful. The first medal is certainly bronze-gilt and most definitely has not been polished so probably he had a jeweller to gild it for him.

Again thank you so much.

Paul