Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

The important R.V.M. Royal Household group of nine awarded to Mr. O. Humfrey, better know as ‘Humfrey at the Wheel’, Chauffeur Extraordinaire to Their Majesties King George V and Queen Mary, who was awarded his R.V.M. for driving their Majesties from Balmoral to London during the railway strike of 1919- an epic two-day, 550 mile journey

Royal Household Faithful Service Medal, G.V.R., 1st issue, suspension dated ‘1908-1928’ (Oscar Humfrey); Coronation 1911; Jubilee 1935; Coronation 1937; Royal Victorian Medal, G.V.R., silver, unnamed as issued; Denmark, Kingdom, King’s Medal of Recompense, Christian X, silver; Spain, Kingdom, Order of Isabella the Catholic, Silver Cross of the Order, silver and enamel, enamel damage to central medallion; France, Third Republic, Medal of Honour, silver; Belgium, Kingdom, Royal Household Medal, Albert I, silver, with crowned cipher emblem on riband, mounted court-style in this order as worn, traces of lacquer, very fine (9) £1400-1800

This lot was sold as part of a special collection, A Collection of Medals to Members of the Nobility and The Royal Household.

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Oscar Humfrey was born on 22 February 1878 and entered Royal Service on 20 July 1908 as a ‘Motor Driver’ to the Prince and Princess to Wales (later H.M. King George V and Queen Mary). In 1913 he was advanced to ‘Royal Mews Motor Engineer’, in which roll he would often act as Chauffeur to their Majesties. He was awarded the Royal Victorian Medal on 9 October 1919, ‘for services in driving their Majesties from Balmoral to London during the Railway Strike in October 1919’. The following account in The Autocar takes up the story:
‘The ability of the modern car to perform the duties of an express train has been well proved by the long-distance journey of the King and Queen from Balmoral to Buckingham Palace, a distance of 550 miles, which their Majesties were compelled to undertake last week owing to the railway strike. The 550 mile journey was accomplished in two stages of approximately 250 miles and 300 miles, the car being a six-cylinder Daimler, a make which has enjoyed the Royal patronage since the early days of motoring.
The first stage of the journey was made on Friday 3rd October, from Balmoral to Lowther Castle, Penrith, the seat of the Earl of Lonsdale, where the night was spent, the route being through Braemar, Perth, Stirling and Lanark. An early start was made next morning at eight o’clock, and a straight through run of over 300 miles was accomplished to London, which was reached the same night. At Welbeck Abbey the Duke and Duchess of Portland entertained their Majesties to lunch, and the journey was resumed by way of Grantham, Biggleswade, and Hatfield to London.
Mr. Oscar Humfrey, the King’s Chauffeur, was at the wheel throughout this long journey. The King was not in the least fatigued by his long trip, and proceeded immediately to attend to his correspondence upon arrival at Buckingham Palace.’

Pensioned on 21 July 1936, following the death of King George V, he did not fully retire, but continued to act as chauffeur to H.M Queen Mary for some time. He was still with her in 1939, when her car was involved in a motor accident, The Times taking up the story:
‘With Humfrey at the wheel, Queen Mary was returning from a visit to the Royal Horticultural Society Gardens at Wisley, Surrey, when she was involved in a motor accident on 23rd May 1939. Accompanying her in her car were Lady Constance Milnes-Gashell and Lord Claud Hamilton. Her car was coming out of Wimbledon Park Road to cross West Hill, when it was struck by a lorry, carrying steel tubes, on its offside. It overturned on its nearside. Her Majesty suffered shock and bruising and also injured her eye, while her companions suffered a grazed arm and a cut hand. Humfrey escaped injury but, like the others, was clearly shocked. Workmen decorating a house nearby ran to the scene, and after forcing open the window, with a hammer, helped Queen Mary and her companions to climb out by means of a step ladder. Her Majesty was taken to a nearby house where, at her request, a cup of tea was made for her. A second car was telephoned for, and her Majesty smiled and waved her hand to the large assembled crowd which spontaneously cheered her as she left to be driven back to Marlborough House. Dr Hewett and Lord Dawson had already been summoned by telephone. The lorry had a damaged radiator, but was able to drive on, and indeed the driver delivered a bouquet of flowers to Marlborough House that evening, for which he was sent a letter of thanks. Her Majesty had to cancel her public engagements for the next few days, including her planned visit to Epsom the following day to see the Derby, and her 72nd birthday celebrations on the 26th May.
As a result of this a three-day census of traffic at the junction was set up by the police and borough officials in order to establish whether safety measures were needed.’

Humfrey finally retired in 1939, and moved to west Norfolk. Queen Mary visited him at his home after his retirement whenever she was at Sandringham, and on her death in 1953 he flew a Union Flag at half mast from his home. He died in February 1972, aged 93, and is buried in Sandringham Churchyard.

Sold together with various copied research and a large photograph of ‘Humprey at the Wheel’ driving their Majesties in a Daimler motor car.