TOPIC:

TITLE: PRINCESS OF WALES PRIVATE HOSPITAL

METAL: SILVER

NAMED: NOT OFFICIALLY (Certificate for a Mr. Bond), (Certificate: PRINCESS OF WALES'S PRIVATE MILITARY HOSPITAL, THE GABLES, SURBITON, SOUVENIR MEDAL FROM SIR ALFRED AND LADY COOPER TO MR. BOND.

SIZE: 58mm

HERN'S CATALOGUE NUMBER: 60
HIBBARD'S CATALOGUE NUMBER: NOT APPLICABLE

CASED: YES

CLASSIFICATION: SOUVENIR / FUND RAISING MEDALLION

DESIGNER: WARRINGTON AND CO.

OBVERSE:

SOUVENIR OF THE PRINCESS OF WALES' PRIVATE MILITARY HOSPITAL. THE GABLES, SURBITON. BUST OF THE PRINCESS OF WALES, (Table Bay and Warship in background) TRANSVAAL WAR 1899 - 1900

REVERSE:

MAINTAINED BY MR. & MRS. ALFRED COOPER AS AN ADJUNCT TO H.R.H.'S HOSPITAL SHIP. (Military Hospital in Relief). FOR SICK AND WOUNDED FROM SOUTH AFRICA

Good Afternoon Everyone...…

I was able to copy this from "South African Commemorative Website" by Michael Laidlaw, and I would like to thank him for all the information he has provided...…

In the description it states that the Silver Medallion came with a card of the person given the medallion..... Mine is as you can see in the previous thread is named to a Mr. Bond.... If he was staff I am wondering if anyone can tell me if was a Doctor or another member of staff.... Any help will be greatly appreciated...…

Mike

Princess of Wales’ Private Military Hospital

EDGE: Plain. But sometimes engraved with soldier's name.

OBVERSE: Bust of Alexandra, Princess of Wales, wearing pearl necklace and choker, left. Sea in the background with Table Mountain (left) and steamship (right). In an arc around on left: “TRANSVAAL WAR" and on right: "1899 – 1900”. Legend on a raised band: “SOUVENIR OF THE PRINCESS OF WALES' PRIVATE MILITARY HOSPITAL. THE GABLES, SURBITON”.

REVERSE: A view of the hospital with the Red Cross flag flying on a pole above. On the exergue line: “WARRINGTON & CO (left) LONDON (right)”. In the exergue: “FOR SICK AND WOUNDED / FROM S. AFRICA”. Legend on a raised band: “MAINTAINED BY MR. & MRS. ALFRED COOPER AS AN ADJUNCT H.R.H.’S HOSPITAL-SHIP”.

NOTES: Issued inside a red case inscribed on the outside: "(Prince of Wales Plumes) / SOUVENIR / of the / PRINCESS OF WALES'S / PRIVATE MILITARY HOSPITAL. / THE GABLES, SUBERTON / 1900.". Inside, the case is lined with white silk and blue velvet. There is also a gilt embossed presentation card from Sir Alfred and Lady Cooper on which is written the name of the recipient.

These medals were struck in the autumn of 1900. The silver medals were presented to members of staff, the bronze ones were for the patients who had returned from South Africa on the HMHS Princess of Wales, and white metal ones for patients who had arrived from other locations such as Netley.

The Gables Hospital was owned and financed by Mr Alfred Cooper. It was located in a theatre in the grounds of his property and could accommodate about 35 troops. The conversion to a hospital was completed in February 1900 and the first batch of patients, mainly those wounded at Magersfontein or Modder River, was received in March. The hospital was one of several “adjunct” facilities to Her Majesty’s Hospital Ship, HMHS the Princess of Wales, which brought the wounded (200 at a time) back from South Africa. Mr Cooper received a knighthood in 1901 for his philanthropic efforts.

SEE: SURBITON - Princess Of Wales's Private Hospital

The converted theatre at "The Gables"



..