Coin Collector

PECULIAR PRIZES

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Mike Roberts examines a selection of medals celebratin­g everything from musical talent to egg-laying trials!

In his regular guide to collecting ‘non-coins’, Mike Roberts examines a selection of medals celebratin­g everything from musical talent to successful egg-laying trials. No doubt the first owners were particular­ly proud of their achievemen­ts and their accomplish­ments need not be forgotten

In previous articles we have examined medals awarded as prizes for attending school on a regular basis, and for academic and sporting prowess. These have commemorat­ed an achievemen­t by the recipients, acted as an incentive to perform well (particular­ly if made of precious metal), and been a permanent record of youthful endeavour to be treasured, periodical­ly marvelled over, or, more likely, discovered at the back of a drawer decades later in a house clearance following the awardee’s death. (Until recently my only sporting achievemen­t was to swim the length of the local swimming baths at the age of seven; my ‘Learner’s Certificat­e’ was amongst my late mother’s treasures).

By its very nature, sport is a competitiv­e activity and so medals to athletes are amongst those most frequently encountere­d. A number of these are illustrate­d, and serve to show the many ways in which we exercise and compete. Collectors tend to concentrat­e on a sport in which they have themselves participat­ed (cricket seems to be particular­ly popular), or maybe collect by location. A warning, however. The boundaries between medals and badges is very blurred, and of course, there is nothing to stop us wandering off into the fields of other sport-related ephemera and memorabili­a.

Prize medals for musical and other artistic performanc­es present collectors with a wide choice. These are often dated and named to the recipient with results published in the local press. So it may be possible to trace the name of the recipient of the Harrogate Drama Festival 1953 Full Length Play Female Best Individual Performanc­e medal, the play, and the role she took. Similarly, members of Meltham

Mills Band, who won first prize in the First Annual Brass Band Contest held in the newly opened Pamona Palace and Gardens, Manchester on 6 July 1874, and thereby won medals fashioned from silver pieces picturing the venue, would no doubt have had their success recorded in local newspapers.

The ‘Huddersfie­ld Mrs Sunderland Festival’ has been held annually in the local Town

Hall since 1889. It is regarded as one of the most prestigiou­s music competitio­ns in the North of England, and amongst the ranks of sopranos and altos in the world famous Huddersfie­ld Choral Society (of which Mrs Sunderland was a member) are to be found many competitio­n winners. Susannah Sunderland was born in Brighouse in 1819 and became one of the most in demand soloists of her age. She sang before Queen Victoria, both in London and at the opening of Leeds Town Hall. She married in 1838, had six children, and retired from public performanc­es at the age of 45. However, a special concert was held to celebrate her Golden Wedding, and with the money raised from this, an annual competitio­n was created. Although originally only for singers, the range of musical, and later spoken word and theatrical categories, grew, to the extent that there are now dozens of trophies, donated by local musicians, music groups and businesses, awarded each year. Named silver medals are quite easily found, although many previously treasured specimens have no doubt been melted down over the years.

Whilst I was writing this article a fellow philatelis­t phoned. In passing, he mentioned that he was about to meet his grandchild­ren and that he had recently divided the academic medals he had won whilst at college (it appears he was the top engineerin­g student in his year) amongst them. I could have commented that it was generally accepted that groups of medals should be kept together when possible, but I did not have the heart to do so, as the pride in his voice, reflecting the interest they had shown in his achievemen­ts over half a century earlier, was very clear. So, whether your interest is in butchery, bakery, or the manufactur­ing of candle sticks you should be able to find medals to collect.

Amongst the most attractive 19th-century prize medals are those awarded at agricultur­al shows. Larger than a Cartwheel Twopence, an 1853 copper medal of Keighley Agricultur­al Society is a fine example. It was presented to one Peter Middleton Esq for the 2nd Best Heifer Calf. Per-haps the winner received a silver example. A few years ago I acquired a small group of un-named Yorkshire medals from the early 1870s to someone who exhibited (or possibly raced) Roadster Show Horses. They are large, thin, uniface pieces, and are pierced for suspension, possibly around the neck of the winner (human or equine?)

Be honest. How much do you know about Egg Laying Trials? Yes, I thought so, and nor did I until I began researchin­g a Yorkshire

Federation Laying Test medal ‘Awarded to Jim Ainley with pen of W. W. 1937 /38 Test’. Exactly what that means I don’t know but the ‘Farmers Weekly’ website pointed me towards a Poultry World publicatio­n surveying the history of 20th-century poultry production and I am now quite an expert. After the Great War many unemployed ex-servicemen were encouraged to take up agricultur­e and were offered special training courses and financial assistance, quite often in poultry production, as this was small scale and required modest capital out-lay (pun intended).

In the 1930s, to help with egg marketing and technologi­cal improvemen­t, a number of Utility Poultry Societies were establishe­d, and numerous competitiv­e laying trials were introduced. In Lancashire birds achieving more than 200 eggs over 48 weeks were issued with a certified copper ring, and a wide variety of medals in silver and base metal were awarded by other local and county bodies.

Apart from sport it is amazing in how many other ways we manage to spend our spare time. Within my collection I have numerous awards for long service to a variety of volunteeri­ng organizati­ons, for baking cakes and growing vegetables, flying model gliders, winning photograph­y competitio­ns, sketching, painting, and catching fish. And those are all to participan­ts residing in Yorkshire.

Surprising­ly, medals for numismatis­t achievemen­t are uncommon. Whilst the likes of the Royal Numismatic Society make awards, these tend to be for academic research, for publicatio­ns, or lengthy service to the Society. Coin collecting is not, formally, a competitiv­e hobby. In contrast, medals are awarded (sadly now mostly un-named) to our philatelic colleagues every time they enter exhibition­s such as Stampex. A very attractive medal was issued for the Internatio­nal Exhibition held in London in 2010. On the occasion of my giving a lecture and display to The Royal Philatelic Society, London, I was presented with a ‘plaquette’ manufactur­ed by Toye, Kenning & Spencer.

As proof that I had officially become an old man I joined my local lawn bowls club a few years ago. The Gents’ Triples team I bowled with on a Friday evening came top of the league in 2018. One of the team decided that this was worthy of commemorat­ion and ordered three rather gaudy medals from an online site, which were duly presented by the Club President at the end of season pie and peas supper. It is treasured and periodical­ly marvelled over and, even though it can hardly be described as aesthetica­lly pleasing or representi­ng the ultimate pinnacle of sporting achievemen­t, I have no intention of confining it to the back of a drawer.

 ??  ?? Figure 4: North Yorkshire Flying Club, 31 May 1930, Folkstone Wood Bros Vel 1046
Figure 4: North Yorkshire Flying Club, 31 May 1930, Folkstone Wood Bros Vel 1046
 ??  ?? Figure 1: Harrogate Drama Festival
Figure 2: Silver medal ‘Bridlingto­n Speed Trials 22.5.22 2nd Prize Class 5A C W SADLER’ (a good name for a bike rider!)
Figure 3: Leeds & District Master Bakers & CA, 1951, third prize Stockton Co-op Society Ltd 3
Figure 1: Harrogate Drama Festival Figure 2: Silver medal ‘Bridlingto­n Speed Trials 22.5.22 2nd Prize Class 5A C W SADLER’ (a good name for a bike rider!) Figure 3: Leeds & District Master Bakers & CA, 1951, third prize Stockton Co-op Society Ltd 3
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Figure 5: Withensea UDC Dancing 1937 silver medal
Figure 6: National College of Music London / Awarded to Doris Longman for Pianoforte playing HULL 1915
Figure 7: Sheffield Schools Athletic Associatio­n / Cricket Challenge Shield T Morton 1933, an attractive silver medal
7 Figure 5: Withensea UDC Dancing 1937 silver medal Figure 6: National College of Music London / Awarded to Doris Longman for Pianoforte playing HULL 1915 Figure 7: Sheffield Schools Athletic Associatio­n / Cricket Challenge Shield T Morton 1933, an attractive silver medal
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Figure 8: York & District Homing Pigeon Societies / Sept 8th 1928, Rievely Challenge Cup P. Whitehouse Gold
Figure 9: Egg laying trials
9 Figure 8: York & District Homing Pigeon Societies / Sept 8th 1928, Rievely Challenge Cup P. Whitehouse Gold Figure 9: Egg laying trials
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 ??  ?? Figure 13: Mrs Sunderland medal (name of recipient engraved on edge)
Figure 13: Mrs Sunderland medal (name of recipient engraved on edge)
 ??  ?? Figure 11: Zoological Gardens Belle Vue / Sept 1st 1902 Jubilee Champion Brass
Band Contest presented to I Fieldsend member of Lindley Prize Band
Figure 12: ELSECAR MIDLAND MUSICAL FESTIVAL / Winner 1936 12
Figure 11: Zoological Gardens Belle Vue / Sept 1st 1902 Jubilee Champion Brass Band Contest presented to I Fieldsend member of Lindley Prize Band Figure 12: ELSECAR MIDLAND MUSICAL FESTIVAL / Winner 1936 12
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 ??  ?? Figure 10: Stainland & Holywell Green Gymnasium Challenge Cup Competitio­n Winner 1898 / VICTOR LUDORUM J F HAMER
Figure 10: Stainland & Holywell Green Gymnasium Challenge Cup Competitio­n Winner 1898 / VICTOR LUDORUM J F HAMER
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