Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

The Stanhope Gold Medal for 1899 awarded to Gunner William Hall, Royal Artillery, for rescuing a man and his three children from a room filled with deadly prussic acid fumes

Royal Humane Society, Stanhope Gold Medal, 1st type, for 1899 (Gunner William Hall, R.A.) good very fine £3000-3500

This lot was sold as part of a special collection, A fine Collection of Life Saving Awards.

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Ex Spink, August-September 1953.

William Hall was born in St. Pancreas, Middlesex. A Waiter by occupation, he attested for service in the Royal Artillery at London on 15 February 1893, aged 18 years. With the Royal Artillery he served at Home, February 1893-February 1903. On 28 December 1898 he performed an act of great gallantry for which, in the following year, he was awarded the Royal Humane Society Medal in Silver (R.H.S. Case No. 29,865). He was further honoured being awarded the Society’s Stanhope Gold Medal for 1899 for the bravest rescue feat of lifesaving for the year.

‘At 3.40 p.m. on the 28th December, 1898, a man named Carrington Franklin was at work in an electro-plating establishment in an upstairs room at 42, Clerkenwell Close, Clerkenwell, London, when he was visited by his wife and three children aged respectively ten, four, and two years. On the floor were various vessels containing chemicals used in the business, and it is supposed that the children in their play upset two basins containing cyanide of potassium and vitriol. Fumes of prussic acid were at once generated and filled the room, rendering Franklin and the children unconscious.

Mrs Franklin managed to escape, and called for help. Gunner Hall, who was on furlough, happened to be passing, and on being told what had occurred he, without hesitation, stuffed his handkerchief into his mouth, and rushing in found the eldest boy near the bottom of the stairs and carried him out. He then made three journeys up the stairs and into the room where the others lay, bringing out first the children and last of all the father. From inhaling the fumes he was now so exhausted that he fell with Franklin at the foot of the stairs, and was assisted out by his brother, who had come on the scene. When outside he became unconscious, but soon recovered.

Extreme risk was incurred, and without doubt all four persons would have lost their lives but for his prompt action and presence of mind.’

With copied service papers, newspaper regimental magazine extracts.