Royal Humane Society Medal, small, in bronze (JAMES ELLIOTT. 1ST SEPTEMBER 1888)
Detective Sergeant James John Elliott Metropolitan Police Killed 1889 stabbed on duty, awarded RHS Medal 1888 rescued a four year old boy from a canal.
Extract from the Registers of the Royal Humane Society of London - Case No. 24161 James Elliott, EX-Detective Sergeant, aged 49, 62 Crop Street, Sudbury, Suffolk. Rescued from drowning at Billingdon, Essex on 1st September 1888, David Lester, aged 4, of 18 Middleton Road, Ballingdon.
At 1.15 p.m. on 1.9.1888: a canal at Ballingdon. The child had fallen into the water accidentally when Mrs Bryant endeavoured to get it out of the water. Elliott went to the spot and pulled the child, apparently dead, out of the water. Following the Society's methods he immediately began to work the arms and after great perseverance succeeded in restoring the child. The saver had succeeded in four occasions previous to this in saving life. Case sent to Mayor and Magistrates of Sudbury. Medal sent to Mayor of Sudbury 29.10.1888.
Three years earlier, in 1895, he had been stabbed in the stomach in Stratford. Although recovered, the authorities pensioned him for three years with an annual sum of £80. It was feared that the injuries he had sustained had brought on epileptic fits and that he would not be able to resume duty.
He died on 5 March 1889 at the age of 47 - six months after his heroic act.
Medal is in good condition unless stated otherwise. Sold with copied research.
