Liverpool Shipwreck and Humane Society Rewards

1895 – 1896

January 18,1895

Silver medal and 10s, to PC 200 D, Thomas WOODWARD, for having at considerable risk stopped a runaway horse with a heavy laden cart in Athol St.

20s and vote of thanks each to Sylvester LOCKE, labourer, Edward CODLING, a youth and PC 535, FOWLER, [County police] also 10s to a boy named James STARKEY, for their exertions to save life at a pond near Garston, when a girl was drowned through the ice breaking and a boy was rescued. CODLING and STARKEY went to their assistance and also fell in. LOCKE jumped in after them and got the boy out. FOWLER broke through the ice and waded out with a small boat, and by the means of a boathook got the girl out, but she was then dead.

February 1,1895

Silver medal vote of thanks and 10s, to PC 142 A, Joseph W. LYTHGOE, for having at considerable risk, stopped a runaway horse which was galloping down William Brown St, dragging a float laden with mineral-water bottles. The driver was thrown out and a portion of the harness broke, which caused the horse to take fright. The officer seized the horse by its head and was dragged of his feet, but succeeded in turning the horse towards Manchester St when one of the wheels came in contact with a guard post, breaking the axle and wrecking the float.

April 30,1895

Silver medal to PC 214 A, Charles BARKER, and a silver clasp and vote of thanks each to Police Sergeant Thomas ELLIOTT and PC 104 F, Andrew WILLIAMSON, and Dept Supt, James SMITH, Salvage Corps, for having rescued five of the inmates of a house fire in Warren St. BARKER got a ladder, broke the window of a bedroom, got out a woman and infant and carried them down in safety. The other three rescuers forced their way through the fire and smoke, ran upstairs and saved three children who were in a semi-conscious state.

May 5,1895

10s to PC 59 D, James McGREGOR for having jumped into the canal near Lightbody St and rescued a boy who had fallen from the bank into 5ft of water.

June 14,1895

20s to Det Constable George CHRISTIAN, for having jumped into the Leeds and Liverpool Canal and rescued a little boy who while sitting on the canal bank dipping his feet into the water, with other children, overbalanced and fell into the water, and nearly drowned.

October 25,1895

A vote of thanks to PC 202 C, Charles IRVINE, for having at some risk stopped a runaway horse in a lorry in Sefton St.

20s to PC 808 Mathew WORTHINGTON, for having gone into the Mersey at Widnes in a strong tideway and rescued a woman who in the darkness had lost her way and walked into the river near Speke.

November 13,1895

Silver medal and vote of thanks and 20s to PC 253 A, Thomas KERMODE for a brave and determined effort to rescue Peter GEORGE 2nd mate of the Barquentine Enterprise who lost his life by suffocation after having rescued a shipmate who had succumbed by the fumes of a charcoal fire burning in one of the ship’s tanks, while in the Prince’s Dock. The constable succeeded in getting GEORGE out of the tank but was too late to save his life, and when the former was got out he became unconscious for a time.

December 7,1895

20s to cab inspector Samuel GRIFFITHS, and 10s each to Police Sergeant 29 A, Edward WILLIAMS, and PC 325 A, John JONES for having at some risk stopped a runaway horse and cab at the Central Station. The three of them having been thrown down before the horse was secured.

February 22,1896

A silver medal and vote of thanks to James JENNINGS, warehouseman, for having jumped into the canal near Sandhills Lane,to rescue a man who while insane, had attempted to drown himself, and struggling violently with JENNINGS in the water thus endangered both their lives. 20s and vote of thanks each to PC 57 E, Joshua CAIN and PC 133 E, James HALL, for having jumped into the canal to assist JENNINGS. It took the united efforts of the three men, in water constantly over their depth to save the poor fellow, who continued to struggle with them for some time after he had been got out of the water.

A silver clasp to his medal, a vote of thanks and 20s to PC 137 A, for having at great risk stopped a runaway horse in Church St on the. The constable caught hold of the reins and clung on with both hands, when his feet slipped and he fell, the horse stepping on his legs and body several times, inflicting injury, and dragging him for some distance before he brought it to a standstill.

15s and vote of thanks to PC 281 B, Thomas E. PUGH, for having gone into a house on fire in Luther St on the 2nd inst and rescued two women who were in an unconscious state from smoke when he got them out. They had a narrow escape from being suffocated and burnt.

10s to PC 138 C, Mark YOUNG for having on the 13th inst stopped a runaway horse attached to a float in Wapping. The horse was galloping at a furious rate, the street was crowded with people. Finding that the reins were inside the float the officer managed after running alongside for a considerable distance to jump on the float from behind, and getting hold of the reins succeeded in pulling the animal up. His leg was injured in springing into the float.

May 1,1896
10s and vote of thanks to PC 154 D, Pete, for having at personal risk stopped a runaway horse with a heavy laden cart in Vauxhall Rd. The driver had been thrown from the cart and being entangled in the reins was dragged some distance along the road and under the cart.
 
May 15,1896

Silver medal and vote of thanks to PC 211 B, Henry HAMER, for having at great risk seized hold of the reins of a horse which was on a car galloping furiously down Everton Rd. The driver who was drunk had been thrown off and was seriously injured. The constable while holding on to the reins, was knocked down by a passing cab and run over, receiving injuries from which he has not yet recovered. 10s and vote of thanks to PC 279, Joseph YATES, for finally having stopped the horse after his comrade was injured.

Silver general medal and vote of thanks to PC 149 E, Samuel ALLEN, for having, while proceeding home off duty, on the night of the 30th ult, stopped a horse on a coal cart, which had bolted without a driver and was running at the top of its speed in Florence St. While clinging to the reins the constable was knocked down, the wheel of the cart passed over his body, inflicting injury from which he has not yet recovered. 10s and vote of thanks to PC 274 E, Robert BA??? who came to ALLEN’S assistance and finally stopped the horse with some difficulty.

June 12,1896

Silver fire medal and vote of thanks each to Insp Edwin WALSH and PC 158 B, Frederick W. BAXTER, 20s and a vote of thanks each to PC 68 B, George C. CHESTER and PC 260 B, Charles H. ROBINSON. 30s to William CRITCHLEY, labourer for saving life at a house fire in Lowndes St on the early morning of the 24th ult. PC 158 first went up the burning staircase and rescued three children, but in coming down with them he tripped and fell to the bottom receiving injury. PC 68 B, then picked up the children who were found to be severely burned, and conveyed them to a neighbour’s house. William CRITCHLEY then went upstairs and rescued a baby, but when coming down again he was overcome with smoke and both his hands were burned. Insp WALSH then took CRITCHLEY and the baby in his arms and carried them to safety. PC 260 then went up the stairs and rescued a boy who was in a helpless condition from the smoke, then went up and rescued the mother of the children.

Silver general medal and vote of thanks to PC 181 B, William FORBES, for having at considerable risk, and with some injury, stopped a runaway pony and trap, in Hope St and Hardman St on the 1st inst. He was thrown down and dragged for some distance before the pony was stopped.
 
Silver general medal and vote of thanks to PC 231 C, Matthias MILRAY for having stopped a pair of horses attached to a waggonette which took fright and bolted from Griffiths St into Berry St on the 25th ult, and were stopped by the PC at considerable personal risk.