Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

Royal Humane Society, small bronze medal (unsuccessful) (Ellis J. Jones 23rd. May 1918.) with integral top bronze riband buckle, in Elkington, London, fitted case of issue, minor edge bruise, otherwise extremely fine £160-200

Ellis John Jones, a Colliery Worker employed by the Lea Green Colliery, was awarded the Royal Humane Society’s bronze medal for attempting to save life on 23 May 1918: ‘At about 1:15 a.m. on the 23rd May, 1918, William Griffiths, employed as a fireman at the King Pit, Lea Green Colliery, St. Helen’s, was seen going in the direction of No. 13 Level. About six o’clock in the same morning it was discovered that he was missing, and an alarm was raised. On a search being made his lamp was found hanging on a prop at No. 1 Brow, which had been fenced off owing to the presence of coal gas, and moaning could be heard coming from the Brow, which is 800 yards from the Pit Eye. Isaac Kay, James Ford, Joseph Scragg, and Richard Davies then entered the Brow, but after going a short distance the three latter turned back, as they felt themselves being overcome. Kay, however, kept on, and finding Griffiths, dragged him a little way, and then he himself became unconscious. Ford, Scragg, and Richard Davies, finding that Kay did not return, entered the Brow again, and three times tried to reach him, but failed. Various further attempts by Ellis John Jones, William Davies, Richard Davies, and Ford to reach Kay were unsuccessful. After an interval of some ten minutes, Jones, Richard Davies, and Ford made a final effort, and reaching Kay dragged him to the entrance, where he was eventually restored by artificial respiration. The body of Griffiths, who had been dead for some time, was recovered later. All the men were well aware of the danger incurred in entering the Brow.’

For this action Isaac Kay was awarded the Royal Humane Society silver medal; Ellis John Jones, Richard Davies, William Davies, James Ford, and Joseph Scragg were all awarded the Royal Humane Society bronze medal.

Sold together with copied R.H.S. Report, and various photographic images of the pit head.