County: Montgomeryshire
Issued on: Return
Date of presentation: 06/07/1901
Number issued: 9
Gold medals, to:
Presentation made by Lady Pryce-Jones, during an interval at Newtown Sports.
The intention was that medals would be given to all Newtown Volunteers, not just those who had worked at Pryce-Jones Ltd (see below). In the case of Private Gittins, it appears that this did not happen.
"The employees of Pryce-Jones Ltd. have made a collection amongst themselves, and have decided to present each volunteer returning with a silver [sic] medal, in celebration of his return. These medals will be given, not only to their old fellow-workers at the Warehouse and Factory, but to the other returning soldiers". Note: despite their good intentions, Private Gittins, one of the "other returning soldiers" does not appear to have been a recipient of this medal, a situation rectified by Mrs Morgan of Llangollen.
The employees of Pryce-Jones, Ltd., have made a collection amongst themselves, and have decided to present each volunteer returning with a silver [sic] medal, in celebration of his return. These medals will be given, not only to their old fellow-workers at the Warehouse and Factory, but to the other returning soldiers.
PRESENTATION TO ACTIVE SERVICE VOLUNTEERS.
Shortly after five o’clock the people assembled in front of the grand stand to witness the presentation of gold medals from the employees of Pryce-Jones, Limited, to the Newtown contingent of the Service Section 5th Volunteer Battalion South Wales Borderers. In the absence of Colonel Pryce-Jones, M.P., the ceremony was performed by his mother, Lady Pryce-Jones. First of all Captain A.W. Pryce-Jones, after expressing his brother’s regret that he was unable to be present, explained that when the Volunteers returned from the front a very natural desire was expressed by the Royal Welsh Warehouse and other employees of the company to present their Newtown comrades with some tangible memento which they could look back to in years to come, and the outcome of that very natural desire was the beautiful medals his mother had been asked to present to the men. It was unnecessary for him to eulogise the services which the friends drawn up in front of them had rendered; he could only say that they looked upon the hardships the Volunteers had endured and the duties that had performed as a very great credit to themselves, to the battalion, and to the town. (Hear, hear, and cheers). He had had an opportunity that morning in another place of saying a few words in praise of their actions, and it was unnecessary for him to enlarge upon the splendid services they had rendered. These were already well-known to everyone present, and to enable the committee to continue the admirable punctuality which had been observed throughout the afternoon he would at once call upon his mother to present the medals. – Lady Price-Jones then invested the men amidst loud applause. – This ended the interesting ceremony.
A SECOND PRESENTATION.
During an interval at the Newtown Sports on Saturday nine men of the Newtown contingent of the Service Section 5th Vol. Batt. South Wales Borderers were presented with gold medals. The presentation was to have been made by Colonel Pryce-Jones, M.P., but in his absence the ceremony was gracefully performed by Lady Pryce-Jones, who was supported on the grandstand by her son, Captain A.W. Pryce-Jones. – Captain A.W. Pryce-Jones, after apologising for the absence of his brother, Colonel Pryce-Jones, explained what the medals about to be awarded represented. When the Volunteers returned from the front a natural desire was expressed by the employees of the Royal Welsh Warehouse and factory to present those of their number who had gone through an arduous campaign with some tangible memento which they could look back upon in years to come. The outcome of that desire was the beautiful medals which his mother had been asked to present. Continuing, he said it was unnecessary to eulogise the services which their friends had rendered. He need only say that they looked upon the hardships they had gone through, and the duties they had performed, as being a very great credit to themselves and to Newtown. They all felt very proud of them. (Applause). The officers of the battalion felt extremely proud of them. That morning he had an opportunity of saying a few words in praise of the men’s gallant services, and it was unnecessary that he should enlarge upon them. He called upon Lady Pryce-Jones to make the presentation. – The men then stepped forward, and her Ladyship pinned the medal to each man’s breast, adding a few words of admiration of their gallant service.
On Monday evening the nine members of the Newtown contingent of the service section attended at Mr Swift’s residence, Newtown, when he presented each man with a pipe with silver mountings as a memento of their having taken part in the South African war. The pipes, which were accompanied with a packet of tobacco, bore the following inscription: - “5th V.B. S.W.B. South African campaign. May 1901. Presented to _______ by Mr and Mrs Swift”. After the presentation the men were entertained by Mr and Mrs Swift, and had a most enjoyable time.
