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Auction: 20001 - Orders, Decorations and Medals - conducted behind closed doors
Lot: 640

A poignant Royal Humane Society Medal awarded to F. W. Wareham, who jumped off a pier effecting a rescue which was to be feted by the great and good of Bournemouth - sadly his later life crumbled around him, due to unemployment and excessive alcohol consumption

Royal Humane Society Medal, small bronze (Frederick William Wareham, 18th. March 1888), good very fine

'The bronze medal of the Royal Humane Society has been awarded to Frederick William Wareham of Bournemouth, who on Sunday, the 18th March, without stopping to undress, and not withstanding the weather was bitterly cold, plunged into the sea and succeeded in saving the life of a gentleman who had fallen off the landing stage into the water, and was in imminent danger of being drowned. A subscription is being arranged to present Wareham with a gold watch and chain in further recognition of his heroic conduct.' (The Christchurch Times, refers)

Frederick William Wareham was born around 1864 at Bournemouth. A butcher by profession and 'fellow townsman', he was awarded the R.H.S. Medal for jumping off the pier at Bournemouth and rescuing a gentleman named 'Thatcher' - a holidaymaker to the town - from drowning (The Western Daily Press, refers). His award was publicly presented by the Chairman of the Commissioners, whilst a gold watch was offered by Captain Haggard (The Guardian, refers).

More like a brute than a man

In December 1904, Wareham found himself before the authorities for a second time, this time for all the wrong reasons:

'Bournemouth Borough Police Court. Before the Mayor, Major Maunsell, and Alderman Parsons. Frederick William Wareham charged with an aggravated assault upon his wife. He held her down and struck her with a glass bottle on the back of the head, the temple, and the nose, inflicting wounds which bled profusely and causing her to become unconscious. She was kept in bed for ten days, and the doctor said that one of the wounds on the back of her head was very deep and might have been very dangerous. Fined £2 and £1 10s. costs, and bound over to keep the peace.' (Truth, refers)

It appears Wareham lost his employment with the Corporation of Bournemouth as a result of his conviction, further details emerging in the local press:

'Defendant had drunken habits and was very unkind to her. On the previous Saturday, he threw a loaf at their daughter, striking her on the jaw. On Monday, a witness spoke to him about it, when defendant threw a glass bowl at her, and cut her head open. He then held her by the back of the neck and cut her with the broken pieces of the bowl, wounding her on the temple and nose - Defendant was "full of drink" on the Sunday.'

As a consequence of his actions, and having been repeatedly assaulted in the past, it was announced in court that Susannah could no longer live with her highly volatile and abusive husband. The Mayor, Major Maunsell, did not hold back his words:

'The defendant had acted more like a brute than a man, and was fortunate in not being before them on a charge of attempted murder.'

The Final Chapter

His life having spiralled entirely out of control, and with ongoing worries regarding a lack of employment, Wareham determined to take his own life:

'Oxalic Acid Poisoning - A Butcher's Suicide at Winton.

On Monday the Bournemouth Borough Coroner (Dr. Kinsey Morgan) held an inquest at the Richmond Hotel on the body of Frederick William Wareham, labourer, aged 42 years, of Meyrick Vale, Markham Road, Winton, who died from the effects of poison at that place on the previous Saturday.

Mrs. Susannah Wareham the widow, gave evidence of identification, and said the deceased was a butcher, but had not followed that occupation for some time. He generally had good health, and looked strong, but at times she thought his heart was weak, for he then appeared to be very ill, and had fainted once or twice. He had also had haemorrhage once or twice. She had not seen the deceased since Sunday, the 23rd September, as she had been out in a situation, and he had been living alone, and looked after himself in her absence. She had heard him say on one or two occasions when he had had drink that if he could not get work in his own trade he would blow his brains out, but she never heard him say anything about poison.

Henry Roberts, a postman, of Simla, Markham Road, Winton, living next door to the deceased, said he heard groaning shortly after three o'clock on Saturday afternoon, and found the deceased on the doorstep. Witness undid his collar and asked what was the matter, and deceased said he was dying. Almost immediately afterwards, with his head resting on witness's arm, he died.

Mr. Bingham, chemist, of Winton, said the deceased purchased about an ounce and a-half of oxalic acid from him on Friday afternoon. He appeared to be perfectly rational, and when asked what he wanted it for he replied, "For cleaning harness." That was a purpose for which it was frequently used.' (The Western Gazette, 5 October 1906, refers)

Upon the death of Wareham, a search was made of his property by the police and Dr. Woodstock, who discovered a glass in the sitting-room which contained a bitter crystalline substance. The jury returned a verdict of "Suicide whilst temporarily insane."


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Sold for
£160

Starting price
£60