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Auction: 15003 - Orders, Decorations, Campaign Medals and Militaria
Lot: 252

A Hamstead Colliery Disaster Medal in Gold Pair to Mr. A.M. Henshaw, General Manager, Talk-o'-th'-Hill Colliery, For His Gallantry, at Great Personal Risk, in Directing Underground Operations During the Attempts to Rescue 24 Entombed Miners Following a Terrible Fire at the Colliery, 4.3.1908
Hamstead Colliery Disaster Medal 1908, gold (15 carat, Hallmarks for Birmingham 1907), the reverse embossed and engraved 'Presented to A.M. Henshaw for Conspicuous Bravery in Attempting to Rescue the Entombed Miners March 1908', with integral top suspension bar, in case of issue; North Staffs Colliery Owners Rescue Team Medal, silver (Hallmarks for Birmingham) and enamel, with top 'Jamage 1911' riband Bar, and additional 'Norton 1912' Bar, reverse engraved 'A.M. Henshaw', extremely fine (2)

O.B.E. London Gazette 3.6.1932 Albert Mayon Henshaw, Esq., M.Inst.C.E., M.I.M.E., J.P.
'For many years a Central Examiner to the Board for Mining Examinations, Mines Department, and a member of the Safety in Mines Research Board.'

Albert Mayon Henshaw, Esq., O.B.E., General Manager and Director, Talk-o'-th'-Hill Colliery, Stoke-on-Trent, Staffordshire; awarded the Hamstead Colliery Disaster Medal following the devastating fire at the Hamstead Colliery, 4.3.1908, in which 24 miners were entombed and perished; subsequently a member of the North Staffs Colliery Owners Rescue Team, and involved in the rescue at Jamage Pit, Bignal Hill Colliery, 25.11.1911, when an explosion killed six miners; and at Norton Colliery, 24.2.1912, following a huge explosion that resulted in the death of one miner and the injury of another (fortunately the explosion occurred on a Saturday afternoon, when there were only three men, as opposed to the usual work force of 500, underground- as it was 50 pit ponies were killed in the explosion). Appointed an Officer of the Order of the British Empire, 1932.

24 Hamstead Colliery Disaster Medals were awarded in gold to those miners who took part in the rescue operations, as well as to the Government Inspectors and officials who directed underground operations at great personal risk; and a further 16 in silver to the local miners who assisted in the later exploration work. In addition, 5 Silver and 2 Bronze Edward Medals (Mines) were awarded.

The North Staffs Colliery Owners Rescue Team Medal was instituted in 1911, following the Team's founding that year in consequence of the Whitehaven Pit Disaster the previous year, and was awarded to those men of the rescue team who took part in rescue efforts and recovery work. Awarded in silver, it was suspended from a top riband bar bearing the details of the incident for which the medal was first awarded; further rescues were commemorated by additional bars. It was awarded for nine separate rescues, 'Birchenwood 1911', 'Jamage 1911', 'Hednesford 1911', 'Norton 1912', 'Silverdale 1913', 'Crackley 1914', 'Minnie 1915', 'New Hem Heath 1915', and 'Minnie 1918'. Mr. Walter Clifford received the medal with all nine Bars.

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Estimate
£1,400 to £1,800