Commemorative, Historical and Art Medals

The medals and awards of Tommy Gillett, a prominent Midlands professional footballer in the Inter-War Years:
Birmingham Youth & Old Boys Football Association, a silver and enamel badge by W.H. Sparrow, named (B. & I.L. Div. 1, T. Gillett, 1907-8), hallmarked Birmingham 1907, 37 x 25mm;
1914-15 Star, British War Medal and Victory Medal (B-1875 Cpl. J.T. Gillett, Rif: Brig:), rank altered on Star;
Southern Counties Cross Country Championship, a silver award medal by Vaughton, named (1915 Aldershot, 8th Rifle Brigade, 3rd Team, Rfn. Gillett, J., 90), hallmarked Birmingham 1914, 26mm;
Southern Counties Cross Country Association, a silver award medal by Vaughton, named (Aldershot Relay Championship, 8th Rifle Brigade, 2nd, Cpl. J.T. Gillett), hallmarked Birmingham 1914, 26mm;
Victoria Football League, a silver and enamel badge by Vaughton, named (Champions Div. 2, 1916-17, J.T. Gillett), hallmarked Birmingham 1916, 28mm;
Birmingham County Football Association, National Football War Fund Competition, 1918, a silver award medal by Vaughton, named (Winner, J.T. Gillett), 31mm;
Stourbridge Football Club, an openwork gold badge, named (J.T. Gillett, Worct. Senr. Cup, 1919-20), hallmarked wfw Birmingham 1919, 35 x 25mm, 9ct, 7.04g;
Worcestershire Football Association, a gold badge by Fattorini, named (W.F.A. Senior Cup, Winners, Stourbridge F.C., J.T. Gillett, 1921-2), hallmarked Birmingham 1922, 32 x 25mm, 9ct, 14.26g;
Birmingham & District Football League, a gold and enamel award medal, named (Keys Cup, Burton Town F.C., Winners 1926-27, J.T. Gillett), hallmarked wfw Birmingham 1926, 28mm, 9ct, 19.06g;
Birmingham County Football Association, a gold award medal by Vaughton, engraved (1926-27 Challenge Cup, Runners-Up), hallmarked Birmingham 1927, 29mm, 9ct, 12.46g, in blue case of issue;
together with other silver badges (2), Rifle Brigade buckles (2), buttons (19) [Lot]. Pre-War badges very fine, others extremely fine and better; mounted in a glazed display frame £600-800

See back cover illustration. Sold with a considerable amount of background information, including original birth certificate, medal transmission and war service documents, annual football contracts from Stourbridge FC, Kidderminster Harriers FC, Nuneaton Town FC, Atherstone Town FC, Burton Town FC and Tamworth Castle FC, Atherstone Town FC season ticket, 1924-5, several ‘selected to play’ postcards, one inscribed “am absolutely depending upon you so don’t disappoint me whatever you do,” match-day programmes, newspaper cuttings and approximately 100 personal photographs.

John Thomas Gillett (b. Aston, Birmingham, 7 November 1889, †May 1970), later of Small Heath, Birmingham, married Lizzie Bickerton in November 1911. He enlisted in the Rifle Brigade at Winchester on 29 August 1914 and served in France and Flanders, being wounded at Ypres on 6 July 1915. Hosptalised to Bethnal Green, he was reunited with his regiment in France in September but was wounded in the arms and left shoulder at Arras on 26 March 1916. From there he was hospitalised at Étaples and then Leith, Scotland; he was permanently discharged on 14 December 1916.

As “a tall and sturdy young forward” with the amateurs Britannia Tube (part of the Birmingham Works League), Gillett’s footballing talents were spotted by Frank Richards, secretary-manager of Birmingham FC, who signed him while the War was still on. As Birmingham Colts top striker, Gillett scored four goals in a memorable 13-0 thrashing of an RAF team at St Andrews. He signed for Stourbridge FC on 16 August 1919 at 35 shillings “for every match in which the player takes part”, and was given a pay rise to £2 on 10 April 1920. On 24 October 1922 he moved to Kidderminster Harriers FC for 10 shillings a week and 35 shillings “per match when selected.” On 27 July 1923 he was signed by Nuneaton Town FC for the same basic wage but a remuneration when picked for both the first team and the reserves, the basic wage increasing to 22 shillings and sixpence on 14 June 1924. On 2 October 1924 he transferred to Atherstone Town FC for £1 a week “plus travelling expenses” but on 17 June 1926 he signed for Burton Town FC for £1 a week and “an additional £1 when playing in the First Team.” His final club as a professional footballer was Tamworth Castle FC, for whom he was engaged at £1 a week from 13 July 1927 to 5 May 1928, an arrangement which ended in a dispute over fees owed. At the outset of his career Gillett appears to have played either as a centre-forward or centre-half, although latterly he played at right-half