Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

A Great War civil M.B.E., Order of St. John group of three awarded to Hon. Lieutenant A. Payne, Northumberland R.A.M.C. (V.) and St. John Ambulance Brigade

The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire, M.B.E. (Civil) Member’s 1st type breast badge, hallmarks for London 1919; The Order of St. John of Jerusalem, Serving Brother’s breast badge, silver and enamel; St. John Service Medal (7242 C./Supt. A Payne, N. Durham Cps., No. 6 Dis., S.J.A.B., 1929), the second very slightly chipped, otherwise good very fine (3) £140-180

M.B.E. London Gazette 1 January 1920.

Arthur Payne, who was born at Northwich, Cheshire in 1870, was educated at the Royal Grammar School, Newcastle-on-Tyne and worked as an analytical chemist at Gateshead. His subsequent war work is described in the following terms:

‘Administrator, 7th Northumberland V.A. Hospital, Whitley Bay, Northumberland; Commandant V.A.D. Northumberland 41; Lieutenant, Northumberland R.A.M.C. (V.); Divisional Superintendent, Whitley Bay and Monkseaton Division, S.J.A.B.; in Charge of Air and Sea Raid Ambulance Dressing Stations at Whitley Bay.’

Payne was latterly a Fellow of the Chemical Society of London and also a Fellow of the Royal Photographic Society of Great Britain.