Orders, Decorations and Medals

The Golden Penny Award for Bravery, silver, 36 mm, the reverse inscribed (Owen Holman 1903) extremely fine and very rare £200-300

This lot was sold as part of a special collection, Medals from the collection of the late Mike Leahy.

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The following account appeared in the Golden Penny on 19 December 1903: ‘In addition to their usual varied duties, men of the Metropolitan Police are often called upon to assist members of the general public under dangerous circumstances, but especially when the dread cry of “Fire!” is raised at night-time. Constable Owen Holman, stationed at Kingston, recently distinguished himself by an exceedingly plucky rescue in this way, for which the Society for the Protection of Life from Fire has awarded him its bronze medal and a sum of money.

Being on his beat, about half past ten at night, he heard the well known call for help, and on reaching the place found a man and a woman at the front window, their retreat by the stair cut off by the fire which had broken out below. Hastily trying to enter by the door, the constable was driven back by the suffocating smoke. He then procured a short ladder, and in this way was able to bring both persons to the ground. The man was no sooner got down than he remembered that some papers belonging to him were in a drawer in the kitchen, and, deaf to all remonstrances from his rescuer, he returned to try and save them. Not reappearing, Holman now got down on his hands and knees, and fought his way in. He found the man unconscious on the floor, and with much difficulty got him out, thus saving him a second time. On reaching the air Constable Holman collapsed from the effects of the smoke and heat, but soon recovered. It was a brave deed and fully earned the “Golden Penny” medal which we now have much pleasure in awarding him.’

The Golden Penny was a newspaper published in London from June 1895 to December 1903. It was included with the Hour Glass paper from January to July 1904, and from June 1907 to March 1918. It then became the Golden Penny again from April 1908 until February 1909, when it was finally discontinued. It was a paper of adventure and general interest. In November 1901 the paper announced the award of a silver medal to those whose acts of bravery were, in the Editor’s opinion, of sufficient importance to be published in the paper. A total of only 33 awards appear to have been made. Sold with a copy of the relevant entry from the Golden Penny which also carries a portrait of Constable Holman.