Orders, Decorations and Medals

The fine Royal Household group of twenty-two awarded to Jesse William Gower, Page of the Presence in the Royal Household

Royal Household Faithful Service Medal, G.V.R., suspension dated ‘1910-1930’(J. Gower); Royal Victorian Medal, G.V.R., silver; Jubilee 1897, bronze; Coronation 1902, bronze; Coronation 1911, silver; Jubilee 1935, silver; Italy, Royal Service Medal, Victor Emanuel III, silver; Denmark, King’s Medal of Recompense, Christian IX, silver; Denmark, King’s Medal of Recompense, Christian X, gilt; Greece, Royal Household Medal, George I, silver; Noway, King’s Commemoration Medal, Haakon VII, silver with crown; Prussia, Medal of the Order of the Crown, gilt; Spain, Order of Military Merit, silver cross; Russia, Medal for Zeal, Nicholas II, gold; Sax-Coburg-Gotha, Medal of the Ernestine House Order, Carl Eduard, silver-gilt; Belgium, Royal Household Medal, Albert I, gilt, with crowned cypher on ribbon; Montenegro, Medal for Zeal, Nicholas, silver; Romania, Faithful Service Cross, gilt; Portugal, Coronation Medal 1889, Carlos I, silver; Japan, Order of the Sacred Treasure, 7th Class, silver-gilt; Serbia, Royal Household Medal, 1st Class, Alexander I, gilt, with crown; Persia, Medal of the Order of the Lion and the Sun, silver-gilt, mounted court style for wear, good very fine and better (23) £1800-2200

This lot was sold as part of a special collection, Long Service Medals from the Collection formed by John Tamplin.

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Jersse William Gower was born on 30 October 1866 at Sandridge, Godstone, Surrey. He began his service in the household of the Duke of Portland before joining the Royal Household where he served for over 50 years. He was appointed a Page of the Presence 1st Class in May 1910. On the occasion of the King’s Birthday on 3 June 1917, Gower was awarded the Royal Victorian Medal in Silver. In 1930 he was awarded the Royal Household Faithful Service Medal. During the course of his career he was awarded two British Coronation and two Jubilee Medals, together with a host of foreign medals. Gower retired in 1936 and died on 26 August 1943, being buried at Putney Vale.

Sold with a silver Vesta Case, inscribed, ‘J.W.G. 1898’, with hallmarks for Birmingham 1898. Also with a quantity of documents, including, Warrant appointing him Page of the Presence 1st Class, dated 7 May 1910, with original envelope; R.V.M. Bestowal Document, dated 3 June 1917; original photograph of Jesse Gower with his wife, Ada Charlotte 1910; two original group photographs including Gower; modern photographs of his grave stone; bestowal document for the Saxe-Coburg-Gotha Merit Medal, dated 7 October 1910, with envelope which is addressed to ‘Mr Footman Jesse Gower at Windsor’; inscribed photograph postcard from a Japanese gentleman; Royal Household Long and Faithful Service Medal booklet; Buckingham Palace letter dated 26 May 1936, relating to his retirement allowance; together with copied Birth and Death Certificates and Will.

For the recipient’s miniature dress medals, see the following lot.