TOPIC:

Frank

You have done more on the Gorton project than I could have imagined when it started. In fact, I can say with certainty that no-one else has ever done as much for me with a project as you have on this occasion. I could ask our friend Jacob to present you with the Order of Mapungubwe in recognition of you going above and beyond the call of duty, but, curiously, I am without influence in that quarter.

The Burton Mail obituary has given me an idea I will pursue tomorrow, so there may yet be more from the Colony of Natal about this man.

Regards
Brett

I get to see an awful lot of medals in the course of each year and it takes quite alot to impress me these days, but, I just think you have bought a really good medal, okay so you paid the money, but, you had to buy it and as David once said to me, "what is expensive these days" I don't know either, but, what I do know is that Henry Gorton "paid" a hell of a lot more than you.
I have spoken to a number of people about him recently and a common thought was "what a superb item" moreover, not all were medal collectors.
I like it because he is quite local to me, Burtonians are still a proud people and I can relate to them, even today, I wish Gorton's QSA was mine, I wondered recently just who the underbidder might have been, your country or mine?

I did not look at the beer angle here, there are now three really large companies that produce it today in Gorton's hometown, you can smell the hop's, the water from the Trent is used and back then, as now, it's hardness acts as a preservative, some companies actually reproduce the original flavour of their IPA by letting it mature in cask for six months, the time it took to get it from the start of production to the drinking glass out on the sub continent back then.

A really absurd Victorian leftover was this, a very useful watering hole, just opposite the rugby ground and no less useful to me either, moreover, one can still buy, as the facade suggests, Burton and Pale Ale.
Although the actual bar counter is not Victorian, most of the fixture and fittings are, 200 yards behind this Henry Gorton went to school and I dare say he would have been very well aquainted with the inside of this particular public house too!

Frank

I have added the pic of the Burton pub to Gorton's file. As a rugby player it is bound to have been important to him.

I have also wondered about the identity of the under-bidder. There are a couple of people hereabouts who were not surprised by my profligacy, but they were amazed that there is another nutter around who is nearly as extravagant.

Regards
Brett

Good morning Brett,
The whole place has changed since Gorton's time yet he would still be familiar with the old town centre with it's victorian indoor market, much is now grade one and two listed, one thing that he would have seen and used is the Andressey bridge, again, very Victorian and grade two listed, it crosses an inlet from the River Trent called Peels Cut.





Cross it and beyond these meadows where the Burton RFC juniors play on Sundays you find the River Trent.

Morning Brett

This medal sold on City Coins in 2008 Auction #58 Lot 346 for R11000. I placed an either or bid on this medal and Lot 348 at a maximum of R14000 and was sucessful in getting Sgt Howards medal (@R14000) who was also KIA at Wagon Hill. If not I would be the owner of Gortons QSA!!!! as the highest bidder at a price of R11000. It is a pity all bids at City Coins are not live so you can see the pattern of bidding, personally I think a postal auction benefits the seller as buyers tend to overbid to ensure they are sucessful, the problem is when you have several people overbidding that the price goes out of proportion.In this day and age surely a live bid type of scenario via internet as used by most auction houses is a better way to go?

Nice buy though even at the price you paid.

Jon

Dear Frank

I don't know you from a bar of soap but, in the grand scheme of things, I would have liked to make your acquaintance, albeit just to shake your hand and thank you for the passion you display for our hobby and your willingness to go the extra mile to help fellow members enrich their knowledge of the men and places behind the medals we hold in our custody.

More strength to your arm and may you continue to be the veritable font of information that you currently are.

Best regards

Rory