orders, decorations, campaign medals and militaria - Spink
orders, decorations, campaign medals and militaria - Spink
orders, decorations, campaign medals and militaria - Spink
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<strong>orders</strong>, deCoratioNs, CampaigN medaLs aNd miLitaria<br />
LIFE SAVING MEDALS<br />
364<br />
364<br />
A Rare Royal Humane Society <strong>and</strong> Northern Review Order of the Silver Shield Pair to Mr. A.R. Curson, For<br />
Gallantry in Rescuing a Child From Middlesbrough Dock, 4.9.1892; Although Suffering From Pneumonia,<br />
Curson, On Hearing of the Accident, Immediately ‘Threw Aside His Blankets, And Pluckily Plunged Into the<br />
Water’<br />
Royal Humane Society, small bronze medal, successful (Arthur R. Curson, 4th. September, 1892.), with integral top<br />
bronze rib<strong>and</strong> buckle, in Warrington, London, fitted case of issue; Northern Review Order of the Silver Shield, Knight’s<br />
breast Badge, silver (Hallmarks for Birmingham 1892), reverse engraved ‘Presented to Knight A.R. Curson, in recognition<br />
of his bravery in Rescueing [sic] a Child in the Middlesbro Dock. Sep. 4 1892.’, with rib<strong>and</strong> emblem <strong>and</strong> top silver rib<strong>and</strong><br />
buckle, in A.C. Bloxham, London, case, good very fine, together with two Royal Antediluvian Order of Buffaloes Joseph<br />
Smith Lodge Jewels, silver (Hallmarks for Birmingham 1903 <strong>and</strong> 1904 respectively) <strong>and</strong> enamel, the reverses engraved<br />
‘Presented by the Joseph Smith Lodge to Primo Arthur R. Curson, Sept. 14th. 1904’ <strong>and</strong> ‘Joseph Smith Lodge M’bro. &<br />
Clevel<strong>and</strong> Province, Presented to Primo Arthur R. Curson by Host George Harker, for Services Rendered during 1904.<br />
Feb. 2nd. 1905’ (4)<br />
£500-700<br />
Mr. Arthur R. Curson, citation reads: ‘4th September 1892: At great personal risk rescued Miss Polly Hunter from drowning at<br />
Middlesbrough.’<br />
Mr. Arthur Richmond Curson (1873-1942) was awarded the Royal Humane Society Bronze Medal for saving the life of twelve-yearold<br />
Polly Hunter, ‘who, accompanied by some companions, fell into the water on the 4th September whilst playing on some floating<br />
baulks of timber in the dock entrance. She had disappeared, <strong>and</strong> only one h<strong>and</strong> was visible, when Mr. A.R. Curson, who is a clerk at Messrs<br />
Rolckow, Vaughan, <strong>and</strong> Co., <strong>and</strong> a son of the Middlesbrough Dockmaster, pluckily plunged into the water <strong>and</strong> rescued her. Mr. Curson<br />
had only been a short while out of bed, where he had been suffering from an attack of pneumonia for a fortnight; but, on hearing of the<br />
accident, he promptly threw aside the blankets in which he was wrapped, <strong>and</strong> rescued the child. No one was near at the time, <strong>and</strong> the<br />
gallantry of the act was all the more notable.’ (extract from the Northern Echo refers).<br />
Curson was presented with the Royal Humane Society Bronze Medal <strong>and</strong> Northern Review Order of the Silver Shield by the Mayor of<br />
Middlesbrough, Councillor C.L. Bell, in his first public act as Mayor, at a ceremony held at the Athletic Institute, Middlesbrough, in which<br />
the Mayor, in making the presentation, ‘urged the boys present to be manly in the true sense of the word, which did not mean smoking<br />
a clay pipe <strong>and</strong> lounging about public-houses, but in showing their devotion to their fellow creatures <strong>and</strong> doing their duty as citizens.’<br />
(extract from the Middlesbrough Evening Gazette refers). The ceremony ended with a musical performance, in which the little girl who was<br />
rescued participated.<br />
The Order of the Silver Shield was established by the proprietors of the Northern Review as a reward ‘for bravery <strong>and</strong> manliness’ in 1892;<br />
Curson was the first Knight of the Order.<br />
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