Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

An inter-war industrial incident G.C. (exchange E.M.) group of three awarded to Robert Pearson, a labourer at Messrs. H. Marsland Ltd. of Stockport, and formerly a Corporal in the Royal Army Medical Corps

George Cross, the reverse officially engraved, ‘Robert Pearson, 1925’, in its Royal Mint case of issue; British War and Victory Medals (112592 A. Cpl., R.A.M.C.) very fine and better (3) £2500-3500

See Colour Plate XIV.

E.M. (afterwards G.C.) London Gazette 20 October 1925:

‘On 11 July 1925, while two boys named Stothert and Bowden were working in a vat at the works of Messrs. H. Marsland Ltd. at Stockport, there was a sudden inrush of scalding liquid and steam owing to a mistake made in the opening of the pipe of another vat. The screams of the scalded boys attracted the attention of other workers and attempts were made to extricate them through manholes. Bowden was successfully drawn out but Stothert after reaching the manhole fell back into the vat owing to the burnt flesh of his hand giving away. Pearson, a labourer employed at the works, then came upon the scene. He saw Bowden pulled out terribly scalded and on hearing that Stothert was still in the vat he at once ran to it. He jumped down the manhole and after groping about found Stothert with some difficulty and hoisted him sufficiently to enable those outside to drag him to the surface. Pearson’s feet were severely scalded during his efforts and he was practically unconscious on being drawn to the top.

Both boys succumbed to their injuries but Pearson’s effort to save Stothert’s life was a very gallant one. Though the steam had been turned off when Pearson entered the vat he was unaware of this and so far as he could tell the vat might have been full of boiling liquid. He had never been inside one of these vats before: all he knew was that he had seen one boy terribly scalded and that there was another boy inside and he faced the risk of attempting the rescue without any regard to his own safety, while neither the scalding he experienced nor the intense pain which he suffered deterred him from persisting in his efforts to get the lad out.’

Robert Pearson was born in Stockport, Cheshire in July 1896 and was educated locally at the Hollywood Park School. He saw active service with the Royal Army Medical Corps in the Great War, but otherwise worked as a dyer and bleacher at Messrs. Henry Marsland Ltd. for his entire career, finally retiring in 1955, after 35 years with the company. He did, however, also find time to serve as caretaker for the Central Hall, Lower Hillgate, Stockport and carry out voluntary work for local clubs for the elderly. Pearson was also a keen sportsman, excelling at football, boxing and athletics, and following his gallant exploits in July 1925, became a well known local football trainer and masseur.

Presented with his Edward Medal in a ceremony held at the local Town Hall on 31 October 1925, Pearson afterwards gifted his award to the Vernon Park Museum, Stockport , on being appointed a G.C. He was also awarded the Daily Herald’s Order of Industrial Heroism for the same incident.

Robert Pearson died on 17 March 1973, aged 76 years.

Sold with original Buckingham Palace forwarding letter for the G.C., with accompanying letter from the Secretary of the Central Chancery of the Orders of Knighthood, the latter dated 9 October 1972; together with an earlier Home Office letter dealing with the same matter.