THE PRESTON-MORLEY BUCKINGHAMSHIRE COLLECTION, British Orphan Asylum, Slough, a finely engraved openwork silver medal by W.J. Dingley, stippled view of the Asylum’s swimming pool, rev. named (Charsley Medal for Swimming, 1890, Agnes M. Taylor), 53 x 40mm. Extremely fine and delicately worked, very rare (£40-60)

This lot was sold as part of a special collection, The Preston-Morley Buckinghamshire Collection: Commemorative Medals.

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Provenance:
Bt Jumbo Antiques November 1990.

The British Orphan Asylum was founded at Kingston Green in 1827, and later removed to Clapham Common. In 1863 Major Edward Mackenzie, of Fawley Court, Henley, a partner of the railway contractor Thomas Brassey, purchased Slough’s derelict Royal Hotel, which stood “in beautiful grounds, with…a long winding drive from Wexham Road” and had it adapted to the needs of the Asylum. On 24 June 1863 the Prince and Princess of Wales opened the reconstructed building and the Prince “declared the building was dedicated ‘for ever’ to the purposes of the British Orphan Asylum.” The Asylum moved to Watford in 1920, after which the building was purchased by the Licensed Victuallers’ School [see following four lots]; it was pulled down in 1938. Further details are sold with the lot