Orders, Decorations and Medals

Royal Humane Society, large silver medal (successful), (Sub Constable George Guest, 29 March 1855) fitted with ‘scalloped’ silver claw and bar suspension, extremely fine £300-350

R.H.S. Case 15,651: ‘On the 29th of March, 1855, at three o’clock p.m., on the departure of the London steamer from the packet office Pernases Quay, Cork, a boy, named Daniel M’Cullagh, accidentally fell into the river, when sub-constable George Guest, who was then on the Quay on duty, seeing the boy sink, instantly plunged into the water, with his uniform on, and seized the boy as he rose to the surface and swam with him to a slip, where he brought him safely on shore.

Again, at about eleven o’clock on the same night, the sub-constable (Guest), while in his bed, hearing screams of distress, without waiting to dress himself, ran to the spot, Merchant Quay, when he saw one of his comrades, sub-constable William Hamilton, struggling in the river Suir, endeavouring to save an unfortunate female who had attempted suicide, in a strong current close to one of the arches of St Patrick’s bridge; he immediately threw off his shirt (which was afterwards stolen) jumped off the Quay into the river, a fall of thirteen feet, seized the woman, and kept her, as well as Hamilton (both nearly exhausted) on the surface until a boat was procured, which brought them all safe to shore.’