The Society of the Golden Cord, Christian Million Newspaper, Medal of Honour, obverse: sailor at the bow of a boat throwing a life-belt to a drowning man, engraved, ‘Joseph Kirkup’; reverse: a knot in the form of a shamrock, ‘Established May 1885’, 32mm., silvered base metal, pierced for suspension, fitted with silver watch chain, edge bruising and buckled, nearly very fine £30-40

This lot was sold as part of a special collection, The Jack Boddington Collection of Life Saving Medals.

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Collection

Ex Spencer Collection, D.N.W. 16 December 2003, lot 995 (part).

The Christian Million Newspaper was in existence from 1883 to 1905. In addition to an editorial inclination to matters of religion, in 1886 there was created a group named ‘The Society of the Golden Cord’, this reputedly referring to a cord which girded the robe of Christ on the day of his crucifixion. This Society gave a ‘Medal of Honour’ for various deeds including acts of life saving.

Joseph Kirkup was born in 1849 and lived with his mother and four brothers and a sister at 12 Sheppard Street, Bromley, Kent. The nature of the deed that caused him to be awarded the medal is unknown.