Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

Royal Humane Society, small bronze medal (successful) (Jane Champion Clarke, 18 August 1884.) with integral bronze riband buckle, minor edge bruise, small traces of verdigris, otherwise good very fine £240-280

R.H.S. Case no 22,471: ‘At 4:00 p.m. on 18 August 1884, at the Ladies’ Bathing Place, Guernsey, Miss Jessie Burwood, aged 21, a Bookseller’s Assistant, whilst bathing slipped off the platform into 8 feet of water, and was unable to swim. An attendant tried without success to reach her with a grappling pole. Miss Jane Champion Clarke, aged 22, a Bookseller’s Assistant, whilst fully dressed, at great personal risk, swam in and succeeded in bringing her out.’

Jane Champion Clarke was presented with her Royal Humane Society Medal by the Bailiff-elect of Guernsey, Mr. Edgar MacCulloch, on 30 September 1884. As reported at the time in the Guernsey Star, ‘Miss Clarke, who at the time was clothed in her ordinary walking dress, without hesitation, jumped into the water and succeeded in bringing the young lady to a place of safety. She afterwards had to walk home, a considerable distance, in her wet clothes.’

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