Coins and Historical Medals

WARWICKSHIRE, Birmingham, Hazelwood School, Edgbaston, silver award medals (2), unsigned, 1822, frontal elevation of the School, rev. scroll, named (Hor. Smith, February 1826); 1826, similar, named (S. Hodgson), both 27mm, 9.19g, 9.10g (D & W 208/53, 208/55) [2]. First very fine, second nearly so, both toned; pierced for suspension, latter with loop £40-60

This lot was sold as part of a special collection, British Educational Award Medals from the Collection formed by the late T.H. Watts.

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Hill Top School, Gough street, was acquired by the brassfounder Thomas Wright Hill (1763-1851) in 1802. His son, Rowland Hill (1795-1879), later Sir Rowland Hill of philatelic fame, moved the school to Edgbaston in 1819 and renamed it Hazelwood, where he introduced a revolutionary concept which appealed to the newly emerging professional class in Birmingham; a belief that kindness was a better form of control instead of caning. On hearing about this ethos, Jeremy Bentham, the philosopher, persuaded Hill to bring the school’s ideas to London. Bruce Castle in Tottenham opened in 1827 and Hill served as head master there for a number of years until 1839