County: Derbyshire
Issued on: Return
Date of presentation: 29/12/1902
Number issued: 22
Silver medals with gold-centres, to:
5432 Private J.T. WESTWOOD (K.I.A., Bank, 31/12/1900)
762 Trooper William HOLLINGWORTH
3130 Private [Sergeant] Worthy WIGMORE
3537 Private Allen WOOTTON [Wooton]
8814 Private Matthew NELSON
2344 Private Walter SPECK
Decorated in enamels with the civic arms of the town of Eckington. All wording, including repipients' names, executed using raised letters and enamels. This implies that each medal required a unique die, cut with the corresponding recipient's name.
Private Westwood example in the Paul Dunn Collection.
ECKINGTON SOLDIERS FROM THE FRONT.
PRESENTATION OF MEDALS.
On Monday a splendid reception dinner was provided in the Assembly Rooms for the Eckington soldiers who had returned from the front. After the repast Mr West Jones took the chair. He made reference to the King’s illness, and His Majesty’s health was then enthusiastically drunk. Miss M. Limb then played a violin solo in fine style. – Mr C. Tollard congratulated Eckington on the successful gathering. The army and navy might not be the most perfect in the world, but it must be kept up with the times. He hoped the Volunteer movement would flourish, and concluded with a toast. – Major Dudley responded, and said that if soldiers were offered 5s per day they would soon be got.
Major L.B. Bowden, J.P., was called upon to present the medals to those who had earned them during the recent war. He said the medals were not of much value, but they were to show who had taken part in the war, and spoke in the highest terms of the men who had gone from Eckington, passed through the war, and were present that night to receive the medals they deserved.
The names of the recipients were as follows – Sergeant T. DOWNES, Sergeant Worthy WIGMORE, Private G. SHAW, Private T. CAROLINE (now a policeman), Private C. TAYLOR, Private T. RUSHBY, Private W. HATFIELD, Private J. SMITH, Private W. SPECK, Private G. BENNETT, Private M. NELSON, Private G. SMITH, Private J.W. CAROLINE, Private J. SHAW, Private A. WOOTON, Private E. TENNANT, Private H. LEWIS, Private J. WHITING, Lance-Corporal LEVICK, Private S. HATFIELD, Private W. HOLLINGWORTH, Private J.T. WESTWOOD (who was killed, his medal being received by his father). Allusion was made by Mr Bolton in a very feeling manner to those who had died in the war from Eckington. – A song was sung by Mr Sargison. – Mr Roberts spoke in highest terms of the Volunteers, a toast being given in their honour. – Major Dudley and Captain Goodhall responded in suitable terms. – Mr Walters having sung a song, Mr Bolton said if ever he felt proud in his life it was that night to see that the lads who had grown up in Eckington had been and done their duty. – Sergeant DOWNS [sic] was pleased to see the way they had been received, and Private G. SHAW was glad that he had been able to return home.
A hearty vote of thanks was accorded Major Bowden for presenting the medals. – Major Bowden responded, and said they had given him a much better character than he deserved, but he would do all he could for them. All the time he had been in the district, he had never had one cross word with them, and thanked them again very much. (Applause). – Mr Wilkins then gave some clever conjuring tricks, songs, etc.
HONOURING ECKINGTON SOLDIERS.
Presentation of Medals.
There was a representative attendance in the Eckington Assembly Rooms on Monday, when a hearty “welcome dinner” was given to a number of Eckington men who served in South Africa. Dr West Jones presided, and there were also present – Major L.B. Bowden, J.P., Major Dudley, Captain Goodall, Mr C.W. Alderson, Mr C. Pollard, Mr B.A. Wells, Mr J.H. Morewood, Mr J.T. Jones, Mr H.G. Fletcher, Mr A. Dale, Mr J.C. Bolton, Mr E.J. Roberts, Mr G.W. Dickenson, Mr A.E. Hall, Mr J.R. Scott, Mr H.C. Griffiths, and others.
After dinner the Chairman gave the usual loyal toasts.
Mr C. Pollard, in proposing the Army, Navy, etc., spoke of the necessity of the Volunteer movement, as it was the only means of avoiding conscription.
Major Dudley, in seconding, advocated better pay for the soldier. He referred to the hardships of war, and deprecated the inequality of pay and treatment of the Imperial Yeomanry and the men of the line. He criticised the utility of the two forces in South Africa, much to the detriment of the former.
Major L.B. Bowden, J.P., was called upon to present the medals to those who had earned them during the recent war. He said the medals were not of much value, but they were to show who had taken part in the war, and spoke in the highest terms of the men who had gone from Eckington, passed through the war, and were present that night to receive the medals they deserved.
The names of the recipients were as follows – Sergeant T. DOWNES, Sergeant Worthy WIGMORE, Private G. SHAW, Private T. CAROLINE (now a policeman), Private C. TAYLOR, Private T. RUSHBY, Private W. HATFIELD, Private J. SMITH, Private W. SPECK, Private G. BENNETT, Private M. NELSON, Private G. SMITH, Private J.W. CAROLINE, Private J. SHAW, Private A. WOOTON, Private E. TENNANT, Private H. LEWIS, Private J. WHITING, Lance-Corporal LEVICK, Private S. HATFIELD, Private W. HOLLINGWORTH, Private J.T. WESTWOOD (who was killed, his medal being received by his father). Allusion was made by Mr Bolton in a very feeling manner to those who had died in the war from Eckington.
Mr E.J. Roberts, in proposing the health of the returned Volunteers, spoke in the highest terms of their work.
Major Dudley and Captain Goodall responded in suitable terms.
Mr J.C. Bolton addressed the gathering and said if ever he felt proud in his life it was that night to see that the lads who had grown up in Eckington had been and done their duty.
Sergeant DOWNS [sic], in reply, said he was pleased to see the way they had been received, and Private G. SHAW was glad that he had been able to return home.
A hearty vote of thanks was accorded Major Bowden.
Major Bowden responded, and said they had given him a much better character than he deserved, but he would do all he could for them. All the time he had been in the district he had never had one cross word with them. (Applause).
A capital musical entertainment was given by Miss Limb, Mr Walters, Mr Wilkins, Mr Sargison, and others.
