Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

Jersey Humane Society, silver (Mr A. J. Bellis), inscribed on edge, ‘ 10 July 1867’, nearly extremely fine, rare £450-550

This lot was sold as part of a special collection, Life Saving, Police and Fire Brigade Medals from the James N Spencer Collection.

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Ex Baldwin’s 11 October 1999, lot 308.

Silver Medals, awarded to Alexander Joseph Bellis and Howard Morris, for saving from drowning, near Table Rock, the Reverend George Hale of Cambridge.

‘It was on Friday 22nd September 1865 at around 7 p.m., when the Reverend George Hale of Cambridge, who was on holiday in the Island approached Howard Morris aged 16 years who was standing on a rock in St. Clement’s Bay and asked when it would be high water, and being told it was already so, immediately stripped off and swam out a short distance. However, making his way back, he attempted to regain the rock where the young Morris was standing, but the tide swept him out again some distance into deep water. He tried to shout to Morris who could not understand what he was saying, but it was obvious that the swimmer was in difficulty and danger. It was at this point that Morris was joined by his friend Allexander Bellis, also aged 16 years, and they immediately swam out to the Reverend Hale to try and help. On reaching him, they found he was so exhausted he was unable to talk, so each seized an arm of the drowning man and attempted to bring him to safety on the rocks. The pull of the tide was however, so strong that they had to struggle for nearly fifteen minutes before they achieved success. By the time they got him to the shore, he was totally exhausted, speechless, but concious. The two young rescuers were also very tired after their efforts and as soon as the Reverend Hale was able, he thanked both the boys for saving him from almost certain drowning. (Extract from ‘Some Notes on the Jersey Humane Society’, by Stuart W. Elliott, L.S.A.R.S. Journal 14, p.4 - 19).

The above was the first occasion the Society’s Silver medal was awarded.