JUBILEE MEDALS

Evening Star, Issue 22004, 13 April 1935, Page 2

JUBILEE MEDALS

THIRD BRITISH AWARD IH HALF A CENTURY , SEVERAL CHANGES NOTED [Written by H. L. Chisholm, for the ‘ Evening Star.’] ■ King George’s silver jubilee medal, which is to bo issued on May 6, is the third jubilee medal to be issued in Britain during the past fifty years, and it seems that on this occasion there, will be a number of departures from precedent. Britain’s first jubilee award was Queen Victoria’s jubilee medal, issued in 1887. This bore on one side a bust of the Queen and the inscription “ Victoria D.G. Regina et Imperatrix F. and on the other “In commemoration of the fiftieth year of the reign of Queen Victoria, 21 June; 1887,’’ with a crown above, and surrounded by a wreath of roses, thistles, and shamrock. This was bestowed upon members of the Royal Family and the Royal guests; members of the Royal Household; officers commanding the various guards of honour along the route of the procession and officers in command of ships at the naval review atjspithead; to certain officers and officials participating in jubilee ceremonials at which the Queen was present ; and, in bronze, to men on the warships in the review, . For the Diamond Jubilee medal_ in 1897 the same design was used, but the inscription was amended to Cbtiiyear ” and the date to 20 June, 1897. This was awarded in the same as the earlier medal. A bar dated “ 1897 ” was awarded to those upon whom the 1887 medal had been beThe old design has been discarded on this present occasion, however, and the preliminary announcement says that the medal will have the busts of their Majesties on the obverse and G. the crown, and the dates of the reign on the reverse. From this it would appear that it is of similar design to King George’s Coronatioii medal, 1911, except that on that medal the inscription below the crown is “ GR. V., 22 June, 1911, Both the Victorian jubilee medals were struck in gold, silver, and bronze, but this is to be issued in silver only. The reasons for this are probably that the present occasion is merely a silver jubilee, and that the current price of cold would make the cost of an issue in that metal far too high. Incidentally, the King George Coronation medal was issued in silver only. _ The jubilee ribbon has been likewise forsaken, and instead of being suspended from a dark blue ribbon with livht blue bands at left and right (or with the colours reversed for civilians) the 1935 medal is to be bestowed with a tri-coloured ribbon. For the Victorian Jubilee and Diamond Jubilee special medals were also struck for the police on duty m London during the Royal procession, but it is not yet known whether the services of the force will be recognised again in this way this year. The method of bestowal of this latest decoration also promises to be different, for it has been stated that the award will be made “ throughout the [Empire ” instead of being confined to (Britain. ! One thing must remain fixed, however, and this is the order of precedence in which the medal will be jvorn. It will be placed after war inedals, polar medals, and earlier jubilee, coronation, and durbar medals, but before long service and good con--1 Juct medals.