Orders, Decorations and Medals

A Metropolitan Fire Brigade Bravery Medal group of five awarded to Fireman Samuel Maystone, Metropolitan Fire Brigade

Jubilee 1897, L.C.C.M.F.B. (Samuel Maystone); Coronation 1902, L.C.C.M.F.B. (Samuel Maystone); Coronation 1911, London Fire Brigade (Fireman S. Maystone); Metropolitan Fire Brigade Bravery Medal, silver (Samuel Maystone); Metropolitan Fire Brigade Good Service Medal, bronze (S. Maystone) last with slack suspension, mounted as worn, good very fine (5) £700-800

This lot was sold as part of a special collection, The Collection of Life Saving Awards formed by The Late W.H. Fevyer.

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Collection

Ex Dawson Collection; ref. Spink Exhibition 1985, No. 170.

Drain, William J., 3rd Class Fireman and Maystone, Samuel, 3rd Class Fireman, 6 February 1894.

‘For saving three lives from a room on the second floor of a house in Banner Street, St. Luke’s. The gallant men brought down their charges by means of a fire-escape’ (Ref. British Calender of Heroes).

‘It appears that early in the morning of February 6th, W. J. Drain, who was in charge of the fire-escape stationed in Old Street, St. Luke’s, was called to a fire in Banner Street. On arriving there with his escape Drain was informed that there were some persons in the front room of the second floor of a chandler’s shop which was well alight. Drain pitched his escape against the building and endeavoured to enter by the window, but was unable to do so owing to the intense heat. Whilst Drain was endeavouring to force an entrance an engine arrived; a hydrant was at once brought into use, and the flames being by this means held in check Drain, accompanied by S. Maystone, again mounted the escape, and succeeded in entering the room, where three persons (a man and two children) were discovered in a state of insensibility. After some difficulty, owing to the great weight of the man, all three were successfully passed out to Engineer John Morris, who handed them down the escape to Engineer J. F. Dane, who planned and superintended the whole operation. Artificial respiration was successfully resorted to in the case of the two children, but the third sufferer died shortly after being rescued. The Chief Officer states that the risk ran by Maystone and Drain was very great owing to the fierceness of the flames and the liability of the floor collapsing’ (Ref. Report of the Fire Brigade Committee, 15 February 1894).

The above taken from Silver Medal for Bravery of the Metropolitan Fire Brigade 1877-1897 ...., compiled by Bill Fevyer, L.S.A.R.S.J. 19, p.4-43.