Royal Humane Society, large silver medal, by Pingo (R.H.S. Do. Geo. Pring vitam ob restitutam dono dat 1817) unmounted, minor edge bruising and contact marks, very fine £300-350

This lot was sold as part of a special collection, A fine Collection of Life Saving Awards.

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Collection

Ex Edrington Collection.

‘The humble Petition of Alexander Simson, John Sells, Richard Francis, John Rodhouse, George Spiers, John Giles, James Pethers and James Knight, sheweth, that the first two named men, being at work by the side of the River Thames, at the corner of Hammersmith Terrace, on Thursday the 11th of July instant, discovered the body of a man in the water, on the opposite side of the river (who, it afterwards appeared, had gone in for the purpose of destroying himself), that they immediately procured a boat, rowed to the spot, and succeeded in raising the body out of the water, with which they rowed back to the shore on the Hammersmith side, and then with the assistance of Richard Francis and John Rodhouse, they conveyed the body to the Black Lion that being the nearest public house, where they were joined by John Giles and James Pethers; that the above named men were all actively employed for nearly two hours, in rubbing the body, in procuring heated bricks, hot water for a bath, and in affording other assistance under the direction of the surgeon present, by which means the body was happily restored to life ......’ ‘I hereby certify, that the matter contained in the above petition is, to the best of my knowledge and belief, true; and that the recovery of the patient Thomas Clay depended on the prompt assistance that was afforded by all the parties above mentioned, as the body was perfectly cold, and without pulse, when I arrived, and nearly two hours elapsed before re-animation was completely restored. Signed George Pring, Surgeon of Hammersmith’

With copied R.H.S. extract.