Latest news with #Noonans
Yahoo
21-05-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Miner's George Cross bought by council at auction
A George Cross awarded to a miner for his gallantry in rescuing a man trapped underground at a colliery has been bought by a council at auction. Charles Smith was honoured for helping save Charles Liversedge when he was buried following a roof collapse at Askern Main Colliery, near Doncaster, on 3 January 1940. The medal was bought for £12,000 by City of Doncaster Council and is now set to go on display at the city's Danum Gallery, Library and Museum later this year. Mayor Ros Jones said: "As the daughter of a miner, I am delighted that this important medal recognising a life-saving achievement at a Doncaster pit, is coming back to the city." The medal was sold by a private collector in an auction at Noonans Mayfair on 14 May. The council said the purchase was made possible through a private donation. Jones added: "This is an important part of our heritage and even more so, given these are so rarely awarded. "I hope people come and see this medal and read its story." Oliver Pepys, auctioneer and medal specialist for Noonans, said only 319 miners received the original Edward Medal in bronze between 1907 and 1971. "Smith was one of just 30 miners who had received the Edward Medal in bronze to exchange his medal for the George Cross," said Mr Pepys. "Exchanging the medal makes it a much rarer award, which attracted substantial interest." Following his Edward Medal exploits, Mr Smith entered the military and served in Myanmar, formerly known as Burma, during World War Two. For his wartime services he was awarded the 1939-45 Star; the Burma Star; the Defence Medal; and the War Medal 1939-45. Following demobilisation in 1945, he returned to the coal industry and was employed at Stargate Colliery in Ryton until 1961. He later worked in the coking industry at Derwenthaugh, County Durham until his retirement in 1973. He died at Blaydon, County Durham, on 25 October, 1987. Listen to highlights from South Yorkshire on BBC Sounds, catch up with the latest episode of Look North. Miner's George Cross to be sold at auction City of Doncaster Council
BBC News
06-05-2025
- General
- BBC News
Miner's George Cross to be sold at auction
Miner's George Cross to be sold at auction 14 minutes ago Share Save Tim Dale BBC News, Yorkshire Share Save Noonans Charles Smith was originally awarded an Edward Medal, which was later replaced with a George Cross A George Cross awarded to a mineworker for his gallantry in rescuing a man trapped underground at a colliery is to be sold at auction. Charles Smith was honoured for helping to save Charles Liversedge when he was buried following a roof collapse at Askern Main Colliery, near Doncaster, on 3 January 1940. He was first awarded a bronze Edward Medal, but was invited to exchange it for a George Cross when the medal was discontinued in 1971. The medal is being sold by a private collector in an auction at Noonans Mayfair on 14 May, where it is expected to fetch between £8,000 and £10,000. Oliver Pepys, auctioneer and medal specialist for Noonans, said only 319 miners recieved the original Edward Medal in bronze between 1907 and 1971. "Smith was one of just 30 miners who had received the Edward Medal in bronze to exchange his medal for the George Cross, making it a much rarer award," he said. Noonans Charles Smith went on to service in Burma during World War Two before returning to the coal industry until his retirement Mr Smith was born in Wigan, in1908 before becoming a miner at the age of 12. It was while he was employed at Askern Main Colliery that the roof fall took place in the Warren House Seam, trapping Charles Liversedge. According to the London Gazette: "He was extricated some three hours later, without having suffered serious injury, through the gallantry displayed, in conditions of the greatest risk, by a rescue party." Mr Smith was presented with his medal by King George VI at Buckingham Palace on 2 July 1940. The miner later entered the military and served in Myanmar, formerly known as Burma, during World War Two. Hr went on to work at Stargate Colliery, in Ryton-on-Tyne, County Durham, from 1945 to 1961 where he averted another disaster in 1953 when he spotted a frayed cable on a mine shaft lift just as the lift, full of miners, was about to be lowered. The lift was emptied and the cable repaired. In a letter from the Colliery's Consultative Committee, the secretary thanked him for the "manner in which averted a disastrous occurrence". Having elected to exchange his Edward Medal for the George Cross, he was invested with it by Queen Elizabeth II at Buckingham Palace on 18 July, 1972, and subsequently received the Silver Jubilee Medal in 1977. He died at Blaydon, County Durham, on 25 October, 1987. Listen to highlights from South Yorkshire on BBC Sounds, catch up with the latest episode of Look North
The Independent
17-03-2025
- Entertainment
- The Independent
Gold ring found by metal detectorist could fetch up to £8,000 at auction
A medieval gold ring unearthed by a metal detectorist in a field he had visited many times before has been estimated to fetch up to £8,000 when it is sold at auction. Richard Girling, 63, said the jewellery was 'beautiful' and described it as 'one of my best artefact finds'. The tree surgeon, of Ickburgh in Norfolk, made the find at a site in Merton – around 20 minutes' drive from his home – in March last year. Mr Girling said: 'I began metal detecting when I was 16 years old as as a child. I was fascinated by gold and silver shops and anything that glistened such as rocks and crystals. 'Then I had a C-scope (a type of metal detector), now I have a Deus 2. 'On the day I found the ring, the ground was very wet, and I was aching from walking all day around the field that I have visited many times. 'I got a signal in one patch of the field; the soil was very black, maybe where a pond used to be, so I dug down three inches and found a gold ring – I didn't do the dance like some people do but wow, I was very pleased with the ring, it was beautiful.' The gold posy ring, thought to date from the 13th or 14th Century, is to be auctioned at Noonans Mayfair in London on Wednesday March 26. It has a pre-sale estimate of £6,000-8,000. 'This is one of my best artefact finds,' Mr Girling said. 'I have found coins in the past, and it is nice to have something in your hand that hasn't been touched for hundreds of years and imagine what were the people like, why were they there…' Laura Smith, jewellery expert at Noonans, said: ' Romance and jewellery have always been closely entwined and, during the medieval period, it became popular to inscribe a short love message or 'posy' on a gold ring to be given to your beloved. 'The intimacy is enhanced by the fact the message is worn right next to the skin and is really just for the wearer to behold.' She said the ring is inscribed on the exterior in a mixture of Roman and Lombardic forms, reading: '+ This translates from Medieval French as 'I love you by faith' or 'I love you faithfully'. Ms Smith said: 'Merton Hall was built in 1613 on the site of a house which had been in possession of the de Grey/de Gray family since the mid 14th century, and prior to that of their ancestors in the female line, the Baynards, to whom the property was granted at the time of William the Conqueror. 'This ring is in very fine condition, described by the British Museum in the portable antiquities scheme report as 'unworn, with crisp arrises'.' The ring has been disclaimed as treasure, and Mr Girling will share the proceeds of the sale with the landowner.
The Independent
11-03-2025
- General
- The Independent
Rare 13th century artefact found in muddy field to fetch more than £15,000 at auction
A jewelled medieval bishop's ring, unearthed from a muddy field in Norfolk by a metal detectorist is expected to fetch more than £15,000 at auction. The artefact was discovered by retired firefighter Mark Sell on a cold but sunny afternoon in November 2019 on King Row in the village of Shipdham - a location steeped in history and mentioned in the Domesday Book of 1086. Experts believe the rare artefact dates back to the late 12th or early 13th century. 'I was amazed to see a thin line of gold in the clod of mud that I had dug up, and as I wiped away the mud, I could see the bezel of a medieval gold jewelled ring,' the 63-year-old from Swaffham said. 'I could also see that the ring was complete with all of the original jewels still in place and was in pristine condition.' The artefact is to be sold at auction at Noonans Mayfair in London on March 26, and has a pre-auction estimate of £15,000 to £18,000. 'I had been on the field a couple of times before but had not found anything of importance and had been detecting for a couple of hours with a friend, using my XP Deus metal detector, when just before it started to go dark I got a faint signal and dug down about nine inches to find what has to be the best item I have found so far,' he said. Mr Sell reported the find to the landowner and took it to show him and his family before it was deposited with his local Finds Liaison Officer. Norwich Castle Museum and the British Museum were involved in the treasure process and the British Museum put the ring on temporary display while in its care. Norwich Castle Museum had also shown interest in acquiring the ring for its permanent display, Noonans said. Laura Smith, jewellery expert at Noonans, said that the village of Shipdham – where the ring was found – was 'well established by the time of the Norman Conquest'. She said the village was 'extensively detailed in the Domesday Book of 1086, and at that time recorded as being within the largest 20 per cent of settlements in England'. 'During the reign of Henry III (1207-1272) the Bishop of Ely built a manor house at Shipdham, the moat in evidence on 19th century maps,' said Ms Smith. She said that this form of ring could be 'securely dated to the late 12th or early 13th century, and is associated with the bishopric'. This type of medieval ring is characterised by a 'principal cabochon stone, usually a sapphire, surrounded by smaller collet set satellite stones – garnets or rubies, and emeralds', she added. 'Other similar rings include one belonging to Walter de Gray, the wealthy and powerful archbishop of York – archbishop from 1215 until his death in 1255 – which is on display at York Minster; as well as the Bishop of Chichester's Ring and the Whithorn Cathedral ring,' she said. Proceeds from the sale of the King Row Ring will be shared between Mr Sell and the landowner.
The Independent
10-03-2025
- General
- The Independent
Medieval bishop's ring unearthed by metal detectorist to be sold at auction
A jewelled medieval bishop's ring that was discovered in a muddy field by a metal detectorist is estimated to fetch more than £15,000 when it is sold at auction. Retired fire service worker Mark Sell unearthed the gold ring, which has jewels set in it, on King Row in the Norfolk village of Shipdham. The village is detailed in the Domesday Book of 1086 and the rare ring is thought to date from the late 12th to early 13th century. The 63-year-old, who lives in Swaffham, said: 'I was amazed to see a thin line of gold in the clod of mud that I had dug up, and as I wiped away the mud, I could see the bezel of a medieval gold jewelled ring. 'I could also see that the ring was complete with all of the original jewels still in place and was in pristine condition.' The artefact is to be sold at auction at Noonans Mayfair in London on March 26, and has a pre-auction estimate of £15,000 to £18,000. Mr Sell made the find on a cold but sunny afternoon in November 2019, just as it was getting dark. 'I had been on the field a couple of times before but had not found anything of importance and had been detecting for a couple of hours with a friend, using my XP Deus metal detector, when just before it started to go dark I got a faint signal and dug down about nine inches to find what has to be the best item I have found so far,' he said. Mr Sell reported the find to the landowner and took it to show him and his family before it was deposited with his local Finds Liaison Officer. Norwich Castle Museum and the British Museum were involved in the treasure process and the British Museum put the ring on temporary display while in its care. Norwich Castle Museum had also shown interest in acquiring the ring for its permanent display, Noonans said. Laura Smith, jewellery expert at Noonans, said that the village of Shipdham – where the ring was found – was 'well established by the time of the Norman Conquest'. She said the village was 'extensively detailed in the Domesday Book of 1086, and at that time recorded as being within the largest 20% of settlements in England'. 'During the reign of Henry III (1207-1272) the Bishop of Ely built a manor house at Shipdham, the moat in evidence on 19th century maps,' said Ms Smith. She said that this form of ring could be 'securely dated to the late 12th or early 13th century, and is associated with the bishopric'. This type of medieval ring is characterised by a 'principal cabochon stone, usually a sapphire, surrounded by smaller collet set satellite stones – garnets or rubies, and emeralds', she added. 'Other similar rings include one belonging to Walter de Gray, the wealthy and powerful archbishop of York – archbishop from 1215 until his death in 1255 – which is on display at York Minster; as well as the Bishop of Chichester's Ring and the Whithorn Cathedral ring,' she said. Proceeds from the sale of the King Row Ring will be shared between Mr Sell and the landowner.
