Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

A Royal Humane Society pair awarded to Miss Daphne E. D. H. Milman, for a rescue on Lake Windermere, 20 September 1904

Royal Humane Society, small silver medal (successful) (Daphne E. D. H. Milman, Sept 20 1904) with integral silver riband buckle; Royal Life Saving Society, Award of Merit, silver (Daphne Milman, 1914) with silver brooch bar; together with a Royal Life Saving Society Lapel Badge, bronze and enamel, good very fine (3) £360-400

Provenance: Dix Noonan Webb, December 2012.

R.H.S. Case no. 33,636: ‘At 12.30 p.m. on the 20th September, 1904, Miss D. Milman, with her sister, Miss R. Milman, and Miss D. F. Richmond, took a boat and went some distance out on Lake Windermere with the intention of bathing. Miss D. Milman dived in from the boat, Miss Richmond, who was a poor swimmer, going in from the opposite side, while Miss R. Milman remained in the boat. Suddenly Miss Richmond got into difficulty, and on Miss D. Milman going to her assistance she was clutched and dragged under water. An oar was now thrown to them from the boat, but was insufficient to support both, and they again went under. The boat had now drifted some distance away, and with only one oar Miss R. Milman was unable to reach them owing to the rough water and current, and she therefore paddled to the nearest land, and running to the boat-house, got another boat, with two oars, with which she returned. Meantime the boat she had left drifted some way out, and Miss D. Milman, being much exhausted, made a supreme effort, and reaching it got in and paddled back to where the body was. Finding it impossible to get Miss Richmond from the water, she being now apparently dead, Miss D. Milman again jumped in, and the sisters, by their united efforts, got the body into the boat which Miss R. Milman had rowed out. Both then began artificial respiration, but it was half an hour before any sign of life appeared. They were now noticed and assisted to land, where the treatment was continued until Miss Richmond recovered.
Great risk was incurred by Miss D. Milman from her prolonged efforts in deep water.’

The Silver Medal was voted to Miss D. Milman, and the Resuscitation Certificate to Miss R. Milman

Daphne Ellen Dianora Hart Milman was born in South Kensington, London, in 1886, the daughter of Sir Archibald Milman, Clerk of the House of Commons. In 1904 she, together with her elder sister, Rosalind, successfully rescued their friend, Dorothy Richmond, from drowning in Lake Windermere. In 1907, a photograph of Daphne Milman and Dorothy Richmond appeared in the Black & White magazine, where they were shown giving a fencing display.

In April 1914 Daphne Milman was registered as a Teacher of Physical Training, being a Member of the British College of Physical Education; Member of the Gymnastic Teacher’s Institute and a Member of the Chartered Society of Massage and Medical Gymnastics, and having gained a Certificate in Human Physiology and Hygiene. She trained as a Teacher at Queen Alexandra’s House, Physical Training College. After being employed as a Teacher of Physical Training in a number of London Schools, she became Physical Director and Inspector for London for the Y.M.C.A., 1918-32. In her capacity as Y.M.C.A. Organiser, she several times travelled to and from Canada. She died at home in Crawley, Sussex, on 10 December 1949.

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