Auction Catalogue

25 & 26 March 2014

Starting at 10:00 AM

.

Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

Washington Mayfair Hotel  London  W1J 5HE

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Lot

№ 534

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25 March 2014

Hammer Price:
£290

Royal Humane Society, small silver medal (unsuccessful), (Charles Baron, 5th June 1899) with silver buckle on ribbon, good very fine £250-300

R.H.S. Case No. 30,089 - Charles Baron, a Miner, from Crooke, Wigan, Lancashire attempted to rescue three men from a sewer:

‘About 10.30 a.m. on the 5th June, 1899, three men who had been instructed to clean out certain parts of the Wigan Corporation main sewer, descended a manhole in the township of Pemberton for the purpose of carrying out the work, and were at once struck down and rendered unconscious by an accumulation of foul gas. A fourth man who was present gave the alarm, and Charles Baron, a miner, volunteered to go down and endeavour to effect their rescue; but he, on entering the manhole, also fell down insensible from the effects of the gas. A boathook was procured, by the aid of which Baron was drawn to the surface, where artificial respiration was resorted to, but one hour and twenty minutes elapsed before he regained consciousness. The bodies of the three men were recovered later, but they had succumbed to the effects of the deadly gas. Great risk was incurred, as had there been no other assistance at hand Baron must also have lost his life.’ (Ref.
Acts of Gallantry, Vol. II, by W. H. Fevyer)

With copied R.H.S. Meeting minutes; newspaper extracts and other research.