January’s archive stories feature brave females in the spotlight, who received recognition for their courage in assisting other women in distress.  

January 1880
Marine Rescue
A Silver Medal was awarded to Captain Robert Hutchinson of the steamship Britannia, for having rescued seven of the crew of the schooner Clara Louisa, who were caught in a very heavy sea in the Bay of Biscay, during a South Easterly gale, in the early morning of the 21st of January 1880. Silver Medal were also given to Mr. David Ketchen, Chief Officer and Henry Tait, Third Officer and £2 each to five men who accompanied them in the boat and rescued the people from the Clara Louisa.

January 1895
General Rescue
A Silver General medal and 10s., were given to Police Constables William Killops and Thomas Roberts, for having at considerable risk, stopped two runaway horses which were galloping furiously with an oil tank down Browside and Netherfield Road on the 16th of January 1895.

January 1909
Fire Rescue
Nurses Janet Griffiths, Ruby Dalzell and Jessie Elmsley each received Silver medals and Votes of Thanks for courageously extinguishing the burning clothing on a fellow nurse who was fatally burned at the Royal Infirmary on January 12th 1909.

January 1978
General Rescue
A Bronze General Medal and Certificate were awarded to Merseyside Police’s Woman Police Constable Denise Morgan, for having courageously jumped down onto a narrow ledge overhanging a 30 feet drop onto concrete blocks below, to rescue a woman from a suicide bid at Liverpool Pier Head, on the 7th of January 1978. The rescue was effected by Officer Morgan in the early hours of the morning. She was alone, and in her anxiety to get to the distressed woman who was tottering on the edge, Morgan fell as she jumped down onto the narrow ledge, twisting her ankle and grazing her knees and face. Despite this setback, Morgan still managed to reach the woman, and after a brief struggle pulled her away from the edge.

January 2016
Marine Rescue
Ian Girven, an off duty Fire Officer, and Alex Morris were each awarded a Bronze Marine Medal and Certificate of Thanks, for having entered the River Mersey up to their shoulders to rescue a female and bring her to safety on the beach at Seacombe Ferry Promenade, Wirral on 10th January, 2016.

January 2018
Fire Rescue
A Bronze Fire Medal and Certificate were awarded to Dale John Allen, from Ellesmere Port, who was the first person on the scene of a road traffic accident, on the A494 in Cheshire travelling towards North Wales, on 1st January, 2018. An elderly female had apparently driven her vehicle the wrong way along the M56 and then the A494 towards North Wales. The vehicle was involved in a glancing collision with another fast moving vehicle, which resulted in the woman’s vehicle colliding with the Armco barrier and coming to a standstill with the driver’s door blocked by the Armco. It was night time, on an unlit section of the road and raining when Mr. Allen entered the vehicle through the passenger door. He quickly ascertained that although the woman was not badly injured she appeared confused and distressed and was trapped inside the vehicle. Mr. Allen was now aware the vehicle had caught fire so made the decision to release the woman’s seatbelt and physically pull her out of her seat and out of the vehicle. Moments later the flames completely engulfed the vehicle. There is no doubt that Mr. Allen’s quick thinking and actions saved the elderly woman’s life.

If you’ve got details of an historical award that you’d like to share, we’d love to hear from you. Email us: secretary@liverpoolshipwreckandhumanesoc.org