Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

Carnegie Hero Fund Medallion, bronze, 90mm (Mrs. Frances. Maud. Wright. “Southwark” 26th December 1910.) the reverse dated ‘1910’, contained in its case of issue, edge bruise, very fine £1,000-£1,400

Frances Maud Wright was awarded the Albert Medal, the Carnegie Bronze Medallion and she also received £25 from the Police Fund. A total of 16 women were awarded the Albert Medal, all Second Class awards for saving life on land, throughout the existence of the award- Hannah Rowbotham was the first, in 1881, with the other 15 awards all for acts of gallantry between 1905 and 1967.

The Albert Medal was announced in the London Gazette 24 February 1911:

‘On the 26th December, 1910, at about 1 a.m., Mrs. Wright had left her house to go to friends, when she saw a man running in her direction pursued by Police Constable Haytread. The man deliberately turned round pausing to take aim and fired at the constable; he then ran on, and again turned and fired .a second shot. The constable was then close to his man, who fired a third time, before he was seized and a struggle ensued. Hay tread called to Mrs. Wright to help and asked her to blow his whistle; she came up without hesitation, well aware of the risk, and got hold of the man’s collar and struck him in the face with her fist. She then broke the police whistle off its chain and blew it. A severe struggle now ensued between the officer and the burglar, through which Mrs. Wright still retained her hold on the latter. He, however, got his arm free and again fired; locked with the constable he then fell to the ground and pressed the revolver against Haytread’s head and pulled the trigger, but the weapon providentially missed fire. Mrs. Wright had in the meantime struck the man in the face and in so doing injured her left hand; her cries for assistance were probably responsible for bringing Seaman Barber to the spot. The burglar still held the revolver, but with further assistance he was overpowered. Mrs. Wright is the wife of a newsagent’s carman and has six children. But for her fearless action, the consequences might have been serious, and a most dangerous criminal (for he had previously attempted to shoot a constable) would not improbably have escaped.’

Frances Maude Wright was born Frances Maude Egan in Southwark, London in June 1871. She was the daughter of Edward and Eliza Egan. Her father was a painter by profession. On 21st December 1893 at St Mary’s. Newington, London, she married Harry Wright. At the time of the wedding he was working in a mail yard as a timekeeper. He later enlisted during the Great War, and in his later working life was a carman. She received her Albert Medal from King George V at St. James’ Palace, 23 February 1911. Police Constable Haytread was awarded the King’s Police Medal for gallantry. Mrs Wright died in Camberwell, London in June 1960, and is buried in Camberwell New Cemetery.