Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

A Royal Household R.V.M. group of seven awarded to Thomas Edgar Champion, Postilion, and later Coachman, Royal Mews, Buckingham Palace and Windsor Castle

Royal Victorian Medal, G.VI.R., 1st issue, silver; Jubilee 1935; Coronation 1937; Royal Household Faithful Service Medal, G.V.R., suspension dated 1910-1930, with extra long service bar, THIRTY YEARS; France, Medal of Honour, silver; Belgium, Royal Household Medal, 3rd class, silver gilt; Roumania, Royal Household Medal, 2nd class, silver gilt, the group mounted court-style, extremely fine (7) £800-£1,000

Provenance: Buckland Dix & Wood, June 1991.§

R.V.M., silver, 1 January 1943: Postilion, Royal Mews, Windsor Castle.

Royal Household Medal, May 1930; 30 years clasp, 6 May 1940.

French Medal of Honour, 3 June 1920.

Belgian Household Medal, 6 July 1921.

Roumanian Household Medal, 23 May 1925.

Thomas Edgar Champion was born in March 1878 and joined the Royal Stables at Buckingham Palace as Postilion, in 1912. He had previously served since 1891, as Pony boy and later Coachman, to the Marquis of Zetland, the Duke of Bedford, and Lord Pembroke. He was promoted to Head Postilion and later to Coachman and worked for the Royal Family until his retirement in 1948 Although not actively engaged as Royal Coachman he continued to live in quarters in Windsor Castle until his death, in 1967, at the age of 89.

The group is accompanied by original certificates for the R.V.M., Jubilee 1935 and Coronation 1937 medals, the clasp to his Faithful Service Medal, and the three foreign awards; together with official souvenir Royal photographs for the Coronation of 1937 and the Silver Wedding of 1948.