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Auction: 19003 - Orders, Decorations and Medals
Lot: 316

(x) Royal Humane Society, small bronze medal (Unsuccessful) (Robert Kay, Nov: 29. 1904), in Elkington & Co. case of issue, nearly extremely fine

Case number 33,744:

'At midnight on the 29th November, 1904, two men fell overboard from a fishing boat in the dock at North Shields. Robert Kay jumped in and attempted to rescue them, but failed, and they were drowned.'

Robert Kay was born around 1876 and lived at 63 Queen Street, Tynemouth, North Shields, with his wife Lavinia and three daughters. A fish trade labourer by trade, he was awarded the Royal Humane Society Medal - and this after having just recovered from a severe illness. A contemporary newspaper article, titled 'A Shields Tragedy: Struggle on a Trawler,' takes up the story:

'In the early hours of this morning, a tragic occurrence took place on board a steam fishing vessel lying at the Corporation Fish Quay, North Shields. It appears from a statement made by Thomas Marshall, watchman on board the steam trawler John M. Smart, his attention was called soon after midnight to a noise on board the steam liner May Flower, of North Shields. He heard the watchman of the latter vessel shouting that he had a man down in the hold, and asking if he (Marshall) had seen "David," meaning the Deputy Quay Master, who was on night duty. Shortly afterwards Marshall heard a struggle on board the May Flower, and then a splash. Looking over the side of the John M. Smart, Marshall saw a man struggling in the water. He made a search for the watchman of the May Flower, but could not find him, and a man named Robert Kay, of Queen Street, North Shields, who was also on board the John M. Smart, jumped overboard to attempt a rescue. He saw two men struggling, but was unable to assist them, and they were not seen again.

The names of the men were Hugh McKie, a widower, between 50 and 60 years of age, and Joseph Grant Roberts, 26, a single man.

The bodies of both men were recovered during the morning. A large crowd watched the grappling operations, and at mid-day Sidney Smith got hold of something heavy. As it was being drawn up, however, the weight suddenly became lighter, but the line was hauled in, and the body of McKie was found on the hooks. The grappling iron was dropped at the same spot by a man named Hollings, and directly afterwards the body of Roberts was also recovered. Both bodies bore traces of a violent death struggle, and it is supposed that the men had sunk clenched together.
There was a livid mark on one of Roberts's wrists, and the faces of both men had a ghastly appearance.

The man Kay, who so gallantly jumped overboard to endeavour to save the lives of the men, had just recovered from a severe illness and is again confined to his bed owing to the shock of his cold plunge. Being still weak and seeing the men struggling together, he was afraid to go near them for fear of losing his own life.'

Sold with copied R.H.S. report, newspaper clipping and 1911 census extract.


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Sold for
£120

Starting price
£60