Royal Humane Society, large silver medal (Do. Hooper vitam ob restitvtam 1791) fitted with ornate loop suspension, very fine £240-280

This lot was sold as part of a special collection, The Collection of Life Saving Awards formed by The Late W.H. Fevyer.

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Ex Dawson Collection; ref. Spink Exhibition 1985, No. 2.

‘... T. Boutron, of Queen Street, accidentally fell into a horse-pond on Thursday last. It was allowed by several reputable persons, that he must have been in the water upwards of a quarter of an hour, before he was discovered by some of the men. Mr Ellerton very kindly had the body conveyed to his own house; it was perfectly cold and vivid, no pulse nor the least breathing could be observed. He ordered the body to be stripped, laid before the fire, and himself assisted in using friction, inflation, fumigation, etc. In about ten minutes I came, and ordered the body to be removed to a more convenient place, and continued the frictions, with the addition of several other methods recommended by the Society. After some time a guttural noise was heard, which was followed by strong convulsions. It was full an hour and a half before any warmth diffused itself over the surface of the body, and then a very feeble pulse became evident, followed by a laborious respiration. The boy gradually recovered by our perserverance in the above plan, and with the assistance of proper medicines. Mr Hooper, hearing of the accident, came to Mr Fullerton’s house, and in the most friendly manner assisted me in using the methods of resuscitation; so that he also enjoyed the pleasure of seeing a life restored. [Signed] John White. John Hooper. W. Ellerton.’ (Ref. R.H.S. Case CCCXX).

In the R.H.S. Annual Report of 1775, Mr Hooper is listed as one of the ‘Medical Assistants’ at ‘Dock Head, Rotherhithe, Deptford, and Greenwich’ (One of the other gentlemen listed was a ‘Mr Sherreff’ (see lot 38)). In the Annual Report of 1791 is listed, ‘Mr Hooper, M.A., Tooley Street’.