Circa 1920
Diameter: 19mm
Yellow gold set with guilloche enamel applied with a Baron’s coronet in yellow gold the whole encircled by a gold border inscribed ‘Fryston Hall - Novr 17th 1876’. Contained in period case.
Fryston Hall was the West Yorkshire seat of Richard Monckton Milnes, 1st Baron Houghton (1809-1885), the poet, writer and unsuccessful suitor of Florence Nightingale, and also an MP for Pontefract. On 16/17 November 1876 fire ripped through his country house imperilling his important library. Houghton was in Dublin at the time staying at the Shelburne Hotel where on the morning of the 17th he received the devastating news that the Hall was on fire. Soon after he received the heartening news, ‘All valuables saved, except what was in the tower!!!’ , though ‘All the front of the building was gone, from roof to entrance hall.’ Hastening home, Houghton compiled a list of those who had taken part in 'the brave efforts to save the Hall', and in due course rewarded the men involved with ‘a handsome token for their gallant efforts.’