Medals and awards

Gold medals, to:

 

7051 Private Benjamin SMITH

Presentation made by the Rev. W.J. Peacey, at the Ship Inn, Swinton.

 

Presentation made by Mr Poppleton, at the Station Hotel, Swinton.

 

"A similar gathering was held on a previous occasion, when five returned soldiers were welcomed, and to each was presented a gold medal and a bonus of two pounds sterling" (see above).

 

 

 

_________________________________

 

 

 

South Yorkshire Times, 22nd November 1901

 

SWINTON NOTES.

Arrangements are now complete for the banquet which will be given tonight in honour of the local men who have returned from the front.

The Vicar, Rev. W.J. Peacey, will give the address of welcome, and, in addition to other toasts, Major Mitchell will respond on behalf of the “Army, Navy, and Auxiliary Forces”. The catering is in the hands of the hostess, Mrs Tillotson, who may be relied upon to uphold the good reputation which the “Ship Inn” has always held in Swinton, and as considerable improvements and extensions have been carried out here recently, there will be no lack of accommodation for the large number of guests who have been invited.

As has already been said there are five men returned, all of whom have accepted the invitation, viz., Troopers F. GRINT and J. HOWARTH, and Privates STRAW, WILSON, and SMITH. Fred GRINT was employed at Manvers Main Colliery, and was a reservist of the 18th Hussars, when hostilities commenced in October, 1899. He was the first of the five to be called up, and has seen considerable service. Singularly, he was also the last to return. T. STRAW was also an employee of the same firm, and was a reservist in the West Yorkshires (Princess’ Own), whose depot is at Richmond. “Jack” HOWARTH, it will be remembered, went out with the first contingent of Imperial Yeomanry. Privates WILSON and SMITH were both members of our “citizen army”, and belonged to the “G” Company of the Wath Corps of the York and Lancasters. In addition to the sum of £2 which was voted by the committee, a handsome gold medal will be presented to each man. The inscription reads: – “Presented by the Swinton Patriotic Committee, in recognition of services in the South African war, 1899-1900-1902”. On the obverse side is the full name of the recipient.

 

 

South Yorkshire Times, 10th October 1902

 

Patriotic Dinner at Swinton.

PRESENTATION OF GOLD MEDALS.

The members of the Swinton Patriotic Committee, together with friends, assembled at the Ship Inn, Swinton, on Friday evening in last week, when a dinner was held to celebrate the return from active service in South Africa of three young men whose homes are in the Swinton district. A similar gathering was held on a previous occasion, when five returned soldiers were welcomed, and to each was presented a gold medal and a bonus of two pounds sterling. In this practical fashion the people of Swinton, through the Patriotic Committee, have set their seal of approval and appreciation on the conduct of those of their fellow-townsmen who left home and country to face the dangers of war in a distant land. There were about forty persons present at the dinner, and at the convivial gathering which followed the Rev. W.J. Peacey, the Vicar of Swinton, presided. The three returned soldiers were Sergeant J.A. SCHNEIDER and Trooper Horace HULSE, of the Imperial Yeomanry, and Private MOONEY, reservist, 1st Leinster Regiment, who served under General Leslie Rundle. Owing to their family connections in the district, both Sergeant SCHNEIDER and Trooper HULSE are well-known; Private MONNEY had been employed by the Manvers Main Colliery Company, and had lived at Swinton about two years before he was called up for active service. Letters of regret at inability to attend had been received from Col. Stoddart, Col. Hirst, and Captain Knight, of Rotherham. Among the company were the following: Mr C.W.H. Peat (the hon. secretary of the Patriotic Committee), Mr J. Gibson, Mr C. Schneider, Mr C.H. Hattersley, Mr J. Bingham, Mr J.T. Emery (members of the Urban District Council), Mr A. Ward, Mr A. Poppleton, Mr T. Truelove, Mr J. Baker, Mr J. Howarth, Mr R. Gillott, Mr J. Carroll, and others.

The usual loyal toasts were honoured at the call of the chairman. In speaking of the present Princess of Wales, he said that when he was a curate in London he had seen the Princess of Wales and her mother not once nor twice, but a good many times, come down in the lowest parts of the city to do what she could to help.

Mr J. Gibson proposed “His Majesty’s Forces”. He spoke in commendable terms of the short service system, and of the presence in Africa of colonial volunteers. Our own Volunteers had justified themselves. The speaker briefly reviewed the work done by the Militia and the Yeomanry, and suggested that for the latter force the Government should provide horses for the annual training.

Ex-Sergeant Hattersley briefly responded, and Mr C.W.H. Peat, a former Volunteer, also acknowledged the toast.

The Chairman made the presentation of the medals and the bonuses. He said as far as they could they who had stayed at home wanted to do the very best they could to show their appreciation of the self-sacrifice and courage of those who went out to fight their battles. The war had united the Empire far better than all the meetings, all the talk, and all the federations; it had made us feel that we were all one, and that we have got to work one with another. Proceeding, Mr Peacey said the fault of the people of this country was that they needed waking up. He wanted to appeal to everybody he could reach to ask them to see that we don’t go to sleep again. If the people didn’t keep the Government up to the mark – he did not care which Government it was – we shall drift away again into the old rut. He spoke not only in reference to military matters, but also in regard to commerce. The Americans said there was plenty of good stuff in England and Englishmen, but they were so slow to move; they are so fond of their old ways. The Volunteers and Yeomanry who had fought in South Africa had showed them the example which they ought to follow. These men did not wait until they were forced, they were on the look-out to serve their country. If that same spirit filled the people with regard to the scientific side of military affairs, with regard to commerce, and with regard to trade, for his part, taking it in conjunction with the old stable far-seeing character of Englishmen, he had no doubt as to the future; but if the people did not wake up he was afraid there were difficult times in store. Before making the presentation, Mr Peacey spoke of the kind warfare in which the three recipients had been engaged during the latter stage of the war – guerrilla fighting – for which they required what he described as “two o’clock in the morning” courage.

Sergt. SCHNEIDER, on receiving his medal, responded with a humorous speech, concluding with an expression of thanks for the gifts received from England while on service.

Trooper HULSE and Private MOONEY also said a few words in response.

Other toasts were submitted, including “The Town and Trade of Swinton”, by Mr John Baker, to which Mr C.H. Hattersley and Mr C. Schneider, members of the Urban Council, responded.