Orders, Decorations and Medals

A Daily Herald Order of Industrial Heroism awarded to Samuel Jones, a Miner from Westleigh

‘Daily Herald’ Order of Industrial Heroism, bronze (To Mr Samuel Jones, May 17th 1925) good very fine £600-800

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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Ref. Spink Exhibition 1985, No. 163.

‘In the course of their hazardous calling miners frequently perform acts of bravery which are never recorded. Of outstanding merit was the act performed by Samuel Jones, a married man, of 38 Westleigh Lane, Westleigh, which earned for him the “Daily Herald” medal and (sic) Order of Industrial Heroism which were presented to him at Leigh Labour Club on Monday evening in the presence of a large gathering, including many colliers.

On June 25th, 1924, a man named Zakariah Hurst, of Hindley Green, was working in Priestners Pit (which is owned by the Wigan Coal and Iron Company), when he was suddenly buried by a fall of roof. A cry was raised and Jones, who had gone out with his full tub, hurried back to the spot to find his mates standing there and saying there was no chance for Hurst. Jones, however, pushed between the pack and the stacks, squeezed himself over the debris, and released Hurst from his dangerous position, brining him after a time to safety. There was danger to both men, as all the time the place was filling up owing to the pressure of the roof. Hurst, the injured man, was off work 10 months as a result of his experience and only recently resumed work.

.... Mr J. Tinker, M.P., descibed Jones’s deed as one of the greatest acts of heroism he had ever known in his life. It would require the greatest act of moral courage to go into the place. Mr Ernest Winterton, who made the presentation, said Jones’s act of heroism was unique in its character. He was a brave man who, in a moment of peril, thought more of others than of himself’ (Extract from the Leigh Journal, 22 May 1925).

Sold with copied cuttings from the Daily Herald, 20 May 1925 and Wigan Observer, 30 May 1925. See also The Worker’s V.C., compiled by Bill Fevyer, L.S.A.R.S.J. No. 34, p.56-70 and The Order of Industrial Heroism, by Fevyer, Wilson and Cribb.