Henry Samuel Coslett Beard and the Lydney Medal
Standing: 1,2,3.
Sitting: 1 Olive Beard?, 2 Charles Beard?, 3 Hannah Beard?, 4 Henry Samuel Coslett Beard.
Clive wrote: "... I have family connections to Lydney .... I attach a couple of photos which may be of interest and one about which I'd like to find out more. The first is of the Beard family taken in the back courtyard of their house, 9 Regent Street, Lydney. It would have been taken in the 1910's. I visited Lydney for the first time a couple of weeks ago and made a pilgrimage to the house. I didn't have the front to knock on the door!! The second photo is of a medal attached to a pocket watch handed down to me from my Grandfather, Henry Samuel Coslett Beard. The medal is from WW1 and says "Lydney's Welcome Home". He is the one on the far right of the family photo. I have contacted the FOD family history site in the past and have drawn a blank. I'm wondering if you or anyone else has seen one of these before and knows more about it. I have an RFC cap badge which I believe to be my grandfather's but can find no service record for him. I have no living relatives who know him so am unable to find any more about it from that source".
"The first picture of the medal, the face, shows Britannia greeting the soldier. There is a tall ship on the horizon, perhaps indicating Lydney docks. The crest at the top is that of Gloucester City Council".
" The second photograph of the obverse I think has the wording "Quinsee --- Gloster".
" The medal itself is around 1 inch in daimeter".
Martin Davies of the F W Harvey Society added: " ... Newspaper article provides information on the medal, Gloucester Journal, 10 May 1919. Lydney's Welcome Home
Sufficient money has been raised in Lydney and district by a body of gentlemen known as The Lydney Men's Own with Lord Bledisloe at the head to present a solid gold medal to each man from that district who served with H.M. Forces. On the front of the medal is a representation of Britannia welcoming home a British soldier. On the obverse side is inscribed the name of the recipient with Great War 1914-1918 underneath and round the edge are the words Lydney's Welcome Home. To the next of kin of those who fell in the war will be presented a medal on one side of which is Lydney's In Memoriam and a die of Lydney Church. The medals, over 500 in number, were designed and executed by Mr. S.J. Quinsee. Jeweller etc. Eastgate Street Gloucester and specimens are on view in the shop window. Lord Bledisloe will present the medals on Empire Day May 24th".
Olivia Kennedy added: "... What a pleasant surprise to see the picture of the gold medal presented to all the Lydney men who returned fron the Great War. My father William Henry Hawkins had one of these medals and I wear it always on a gold chain. He also had a certificate of appreciation from the inhabitants of Lydney for the services rendered in that war which I think would have been presented to him at the same time as the medal. I have no further information about this medal. My fathers home was at No.46 Newerne Street. One of four houses now demolished".
Andy Jones added (June 2011): "... I too have one of these medals for Raymond Hill, which brought to me this site when doing an internet search. Reading the notes with the photograph I've checked the 1901 census which lists a Charles Beard his wife Hannah Henry his son aged 4 and daughter Olive aged 2 at 9 Regent Street. Presumably these occupy the front row seats".
Linda Steel added (August 2012): "... I have a similar medal awarded to H.S Mott. Any information would be appreciated".
Medal presented to Samuel Thomas of Lydney
Chesney Price added (October 2012): "... Every soldier lucky enough to return to his home in Lydney, after the great war was presented with a pocket watch , chain and medal, by the Lydney 'Welcome home ' committee . This scan shows the watch presented to Sam Thomas , later Gent's hairdresser opposite Oxford street turning in High street, Lydney".
Andy Jones added (November 2012) "... Hi Linda. Not much to go on do you have any more clues?. There's a possibility of a Henry Shrapnell Mott- yes Shrapnell but no certainty it's him".
John Mayo added (November 2013): "... My family has a similar medal to this that was presented to my Grandfather, Albert James - but with the difference that it is inscribed Aylburton rather than Lydney".
- John, can you email a photo of it? - Ed.
Brian Jones added (November 2014): "... My grandfather William Christopher Darters was also presented with the above medal on returning to Lydney. He also was presented with the thank you letter from Lord Bledisloe. He was in the Worcester Regiment".
The medal awarded to G. Love. This is currently (Sept 2017) offered for sale by SheffieldGoldsmiths for £500.
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