Medals from the collection of the late Mike Leahy

Grand Priory of The Order of the Hospital of St John of Jerusalem in England, Illuminated Certificate of Honour awarded to ‘Clarisse Maude Crawfurth-Smith, in recognition of gallant conduct in tending the wounded at great personal risk during the Sinn Fein riots in Ireland in April and May, 1916’, 300x210 mm, good condition £100-150

This lot was sold as part of a special collection, Medals from the collection of the late Mike Leahy.

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25 certificates of Honour were presented to women by the General Chapter of The Order of St. John of Jerusalem, for the Easter Rebellion 1916, at a presentation at the Royal Dublin Society in January 1917.

‘Ailesbury Park Emergency Hospital - At the beginning of the Insurrection Mrs Crawfurth Smith, Commandant of the No. 2 Detachment, ‘phoned me her desire to convert her house in Ailesbury Park into an emergency hospital. I was delighted with the idea and readily consented to take medical charge of it. Mrs Crawfurth Smith and her V.A.D., with the kind co-operation of many neighbours, set energetically to work. People around lent beds, mattresses, etc., and soon we got 30 beds, which were all occupied by wounded soldiers. The Commandant, Mrs Crawfurth Smith, her son, Mr Malcolm Smith, and all the ladies of the Detachment carried out their work splendidly.’ Sold with further details.