County: Lancashire
Issued on: Return
Dates of presentations: 11/04/1902, 31/01/1903
Number issued: 70
Gold medallions, to:
11/04/1902 presentation
St John Ambulance Brigade –
Superintendent Officer J.S. WITHAM (no record found)
Superintendent Officer [Sergeant] J.T. CLAYTON
1498 Orderly T. BRACEWELL
1868 Orderly J.H. DAWSON (absent - in hospital)
???? Orderly JACKSON
1499 Orderly J.E. LAWSON
???? Orderly MELLOR
852 Orderly J. RECORD
450 Orderly W.H. THORNBER (died, Bloemfontein, 03/06/1900)
1230 Orderly L. WRATHALL (absent - in S. Africa)
Presentation made in the Mechanics Institute, Burnley.
31/01/1903 presentation
23rd (Lancashire) Company, 8th Bn. Imperial Yeomanry –
2664 Quartermaster-Sergeant Allan EDMONDSON ("D" Troop)
23771 Corporal Charles HOLT [F. Holt]
2672 Lance-Corporal D. ELCE, D.C.M. ("D" Troop)
2678 Trooper James E. CULEEN ("D" Troop)
21360 Trooper W.B. DUGDALE
2679 Trooper Samuel FLETCHER ("D" Troop; absent)
21372 Trooper William Alfred JESSOP
25581 Trooper Walter JESSOP
20519 Trooper Herbert Johnson LORD (medal already received)
28822 Trooper [Corporal] John William SIMPSON
91st (Sharpshooters) Company, 23rd Bn. Imperial Yeomanry –
34532 Trooper Charles E. WOOD
1st Volunteer Active Service Company, East Lancashire Regiment [2nd V.B.E.L.R.] –
Captain V.H. WOODHOUSE (absent)
Lieutenant [Captain] F.E. BUTTON
7259 Sergeant R. KEIRBY
???? Corporal H.E. BURT (no record found)
7280 Corporal Frank GREENWOOD
7262 Corporal John Robert PAYNE [R. Payne]
7270 Private Edward Henry BURY [Berry]
7275 Private Robert DRACUP [Draycup]
7277 Private A. EVANS [E. Evans]
7261 Private J.G. GREENWOOD
7282 Private Walter HALSTEAD
7286 Private Ernest HOPKINS
7410 Private Arthur LAWS
7289 Private Sep MARSDEN
7295 Private G.B. RILEY
7299 Private Harry SIMPSON
7300 Private Daniel SLINGER
7302 Private Thomas STONE
7306 Private Thomas WATSON [J. Watson]
2nd Volunteer Active Service Company, East Lancashire Regiment [2nd V.B.E.L.R.] –
7374 Sergeant David Albert CLIFF
7376 Corporal James SLATER
7446 Lance-Corporal [Corporal] J.W. PICKUP
7400 Private James HAYNES
7402 Private Herbert HIND
7420 Private Ellis RUSHWORTH
7426 Private [Lance-Corporal] Thomas WHITTAKER
7427 Private Ernest WHITWORTH
Royal Army Medical Corps Volunteers (No. 11 General Hospital, Kimberley) –
13532 Sergeant Joseph MULLINDER
73535 Corporal W. HOWARTH
13531 Private J.R. BELL
13540 Private W. BROWN
13539 Private A. HIGGINS
13541 Private W. HOWKER
13537 Private C. HUDSON
13536 Private J. LEES
13538 Private J. SHORROCKS
13544 Private J.T. SINGLETON
13533 Private T. WILSON [J. Wilson]
13545 Private E. WINNARD
Royal Army Medical Corps Volunteers (No. 13 General Hospital) –
14158 Lance-Corporal J.A. CAMPBELL
15406 Private A. CHARLES
14156 Private E. HINDLE
14155 Private H. LAMBERT
14154 Private MACKERETH
14157 Private R.M. TAYLOR
14153 Private J. WOODHEAD
Royal Army Medical Corps Volunteers (9th Brigade Bearer Company) –
13542 Private C. SLINGER
Bearer Company & Ambulance (unknown units) –
???? Corporal S. WHITEHEAD (no record found)
???? Private N. NICHOLLS (no record found)
Presentation made by the Mayor (Alderman T. Thornber, J.P.), in the Mechanics' Institution, Burnley.
KNOWN EXAMPLES HIGHLIGHTED IN GREEN
Type 1 (1902, V.A.S.C.).
Obverse with the Borough Arms and the legend: "COUNTY BOROUGH OF BURNLEY" (in enamels).
Reverse (for V.A.S.C.): "THE EAST / LANCASHIRE REGIMENT / 2ND VOL. BATTN. / [CORPORAL JAMES SLATER] / Service Compy / SOUTH AFRICA / 1899-1901".
Type 2 (1903, R.A.M.C.).
Obverse with the Borough Arms and the legend: "COUNTY BOROUGH OF BURNLEY" (in enamels).
Reverse (for R.A.M.C.): "NORTHERN / COUNTIES VOLUNTEER / INFANTRY / BRIGADE / [Sergt Joseph Mullinder / Bearer Company / R.A.M.C.] / South Africa / 1899-1902".
Although 26 of the medallions were delivered to the Town Hall in November 1901, it appears that no presentations took place until 11th April 1902 and 31st January 1903.
The letter below suggests that some men who should have received the medal did not:
"I was given to understand that all Volunteers and Yeomanry who went to South Africa from Burnley were to have a medallion, but I find it is not so. It would seem that they are for a favoured few, as there are no fewer than eight that I know who have been left out. What I should like to know is why these have been left out? ..... Three out of the eight belonged to the Burnley Volunteer Artillery. ..... Another thing I would like to mention, and that is they have given medallions to some that reside out of the borough altogether, such as Brierfield, Hapton, Nelson, etc., while some of your own townspeople have to go without" (A Disgusted Yeoman, Burnley Express, 07/02/1903).
A similar grievance was aired by a member of the Bearer Company in October 1902:
"On arriving home the Active Service Company of the East Lancashires were received with a hearty welcome (good luck to them!), and some time after they received gold medals. Now, why should one corps have more distinction than another? We [the Bearer Company] were allowed to sneak home as disgusted as if we were criminals. But we put these things out of our mind and expected something being done when we were settled. I have, however, come to the conclusion that we arrived home too late to get first prize, which was a gold medal. We must have landed in (home) 4th, as we have got nothing yet – neither gold medal, entertainment at the Town Hall, nor war medal – and I think we did our duty as well as the rest of them, and it is only likely that we should (if we are not too late) have equal rights" (LOBBO TOWNEY, Burnley Express, 11/10/19012). The Bearer Company eventually received medals in January 1903.
William Alfred Jessop example held in the collection of the National Army Museum, London (1997-11-11).
Joseph Mullinder example sold through Dix Noonan Webb, 06/07/2004, for £800 (1902 hallmarks).
Joseph Mullinder example illustrated in Hibbard and Hern.
James Slater example sold through eBay, 01/12/2020, for £435. Very worn.
Burnley Express, 06/11/1901
Burnley Express, 12/04/1902
Burnley Express, 07/02/1903
Hibbard #A7
NAM. 1997-11-11
Hern #764
eBay, 01/12/2020
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Burnley Express, 1st June 1901
THE RETURN OF BURNLEY VOLUNTEERS.
ARRANGEMENTS FOR THEIR WELCOME.
Yesterday afternoon, the Mayor (Alderman Burrows), the ex-Mayors of the borough, and Major Sharples and Capt. Robinson held a meeting at the Burnley Town Hall to consider what arrangements should be made to give a suitable welcome to the Burnley Volunteers and Yeomanry now on their way home from South Africa, and who are expected to arrive at Southampton on Thursday next. It was decided to make an effort to get the Volunteers and Yeomanry at Burnley on Saturday afternoon next between four and five o’clock, and they will be met, probably at Manchester Road Station, by the local Volunteers, Yeomanry, and Artillery, who will escort them to the Town Hall. Here they will be received by the Mayor, and his Worship, from the front of the Town Hall, will express the gratification of the inhabitants at seeing them back home safe and sound. It is also probable that Col. Mitchell will speak, and that a prayer of thanksgiving will be offered by the chaplain of the regiment, a hymn sung, as well as the National Anthem. The Mayor will also invite the near relatives of the returned volunteers and the latter into the Town Hall, and his Worship proposes to provide light refreshments for them, observing, as far as possible, the request of Lord Roberts that no temptations will be offered to the men. The proceedings shall not last any length of time, as the Volunteers will be anxious to get to their own homes. It was also decided to present each man with a permanent memento in the form of a gold pendant, on which will be the borough arms and a suitable inscription. This presentation will be made at a subsequent date. It is also likely that the men will at some future time be entertained to dinner or luncheon.
Burnley Gazette, 1st June 1901
The men who originally went out, and who are now returning, are: –
A., B., C., D., and F. Headquarter (Burnley) Companies. –
Captain V.H. WOODHOUSE, Sergeant KIRBY, Corporals R. PAYNE and F. GREENWOOD, Privates H. SIMPSON, S. MARSDEN, D. SLINGER, H. BERRY, A. EVANS, R. DRACUP, T. WATSON, T. STONE, G. RILEY, W. BURT, E. HOPKINS, W. HALSTEAD, and J. GREENWOOD.
The men who went out under Lieut. BUTTON are: –
A. and B. Headquarter (Burnley) Companies. –
Lieut. F.E. BUTTON, Private A. LAWS.
Burnley Express, 4th February 1903
VOLUNTEER PRIZE DAY.
Subsequent to the colours ceremony, the annual prize distribution in connection with the 2nd Vol. Batt. E.L.R. took place in the Mechanics’ Institution, the usual enthusiasm and interest being evinced. The hall was crowded, and prior to the commencement of the proceedings the band played a selection. His Worship the Mayor presided, and in addition to many of the gentlemen and officers mentioned as taking part in the procession to the Parish Church, there were present the Lord Bishop of Burnley, Alderman Parkinson, J.P., Revs. J. Cranbrook, A.B. Edleston, and J.B. Parry, Messrs H.L. Joseland, M.A., J.W. Harker, and others. …….
THE MEDALLIONS.
The Mayor then presented borough medallions to the members of local Volunteer bodies who had been to South Africa: –
Yeomanry: – Quartermaster-Sergt. Allan EDMONDSON, Lce.-Corpl. D. ELCE, D.C.M., Trooper CULEEN (of the first batch to go out), Corpl. HOLT, Corpl. SIMPSON, Troopers JESSOP, W. JESSOP, and C. WOOD. Trooper FLETCHER was absent, and Trooper LORD had received the medallion previously.
Volunteers: – Capt. BUTTON, Sergts. R. KEIRBY and D. CLIFF, Corpls. J.W. PICKUP, J. SLATER, J.R. PAYNE, H.E. BURT, and F. GREENWOOD, Lce.-Corpl. T. WHITTAKER, Ptes. E.H. BERRY, DRAYCUP, E. EVANS, H. HIND, J. HAYNES, E. HOPKINS, J.G. GREENWOOD, S. MARSDEN, G.B. RILEY, E. RUSHWORTH, H. SIMPSON, D. SLINGER, T. STONE, W. HALSTEAD, J. WATSON, E. WHITWORTH, and A. LANE.
Bearer Company and Ambulance: – Sergt. J. MULLINDER, Corpls. W. HOWARTH and S. WHITEHEAD, Lce.-Corpl. J.A. CAMPBELL, Ptes. N. NICHOLLS, J.R. BELL, W. BROWN, A. CHARLES, A. HIGGINS, E. HINDLE, W. HOWKER, C. HUDSON, H. LAMBERT, J. LEES, MACKERETH, J. SHORROCKS, J.T. SINGLETON, C. SLINGER, R.M. TAYLOR, J. WILSON, E. WINNARD, and J. WOODHEAD.
PRESENTATION TO THE HON. SECRETARY OF THE WAR RELIEF FUND.
At this juncture an interesting presentation was made to Mr George Gill, who had acted as hon. secretary to the Burnley War Relief Fund, a sum of £21 having been subscribed for this purpose. The testimonial to Mr Gill consisted of a beautiful silver dessert service, which had been purchased from Messrs Dickinson and Co., Manchester Road. On the centre stand is the following inscription: – “Presented to George Gill, Esq., by a number of his fellow-townsmen, in recognition of his valuable services as hon. secretary of the fund instituted by the Mayor of Burnley (Alderman W. Dickinson, J.P.), for the relief of the wives and families of Burnley soldiers serving in the South African War, 1899-1902”. The service, which is of chaste design, consists of three pieces, the centre stand bearing the borough coat of arms.
