Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria to coincide with the OMRS Convention

Four: Police Constable Walter Funnell, Metropolitan Police

Jubilee 1897, Metropolitan Police (P.C., H. Divn.); Coronation 1902, Metropolitan Police (P.C., H. Div.); Coronation 1911, Metropolitan Police (P.C.); The Society for the Protection of Life from Fire, 5th type (1892-1901) bronze medal (P.C. W. Funnell, 88H, Bishopsgate 21st October 1905) together with two original news cuttings with portrait, nearly very fine (4) £180-220

This lot was sold as part of a special collection, Medals from the Collection of R.W. Gould, MBE.

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Police Constable Walter Funnell was twice rewarded for bravery by the Society for the Protection of Life from Fire:

Case No. 14,966: Certificate and £2 2s, for saving the life of Victor Smith, aged three and a half years, from a fire in Lamb Street, Spitalfields, on 17 January 1904, and was injured in his attempt to save the lad. One of the accompanying cuttings states that “Funnell has already received a certificate and gold medal for his bravery at the Brick-lane Fire”, but research has so far failed to throw any light on this award.

Case No. 15,046: Bronze Medal and £2 2s, for saving the life of Samuel Shatzman, aged 38 years, from a fire in Steward Street, Bishopsgate, on 21 October 1905.

Walter Funnell was born at St Mary’s, Birmingham, on 28 March 1863, and joined the Metropolitan Police at Great Scotland Yard on 16 January 1888, being assigned to “P” Division. In September 1889 he was transferred to “H”, or Whitechapel Division, at the height of the “Jack the Ripper” serial killings then taking place on the streets of Whitechapel.