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Posted By: BennyBoy Commemorative Medal for King/Queen 1914 - 21st May 2012 7:44pm
Came into possession of a medal issued to signify the visit of King George in 1914 to Bidston Hill.

Just wondered if anybody had any information on the visit. I know that they arrived at Birkenhead Park train station and also there is a footpath on the corner of ford hill/bidston road leading into bidston hill called King Georges way but other than that I dont know much.

Anyway, here is the medal:


Attached picture Bidston Hill.png
Posted By: bert1 Re: Commemorative Medal for King/Queen 1914 - 21st May 2012 8:15pm
Amongst other reason for coming to the area (Cheshire) King George V and Queen Mary opened the footpath, King Georges Way.
Posted By: BennyBoy Re: Commemorative Medal for King/Queen 1914 - 21st May 2012 8:42pm
That's what I thought when I saw the footpath named after them. But what was their main reason for coming because they wouldn't come all the way to open a footpath. I know they came to port sunlight in march 1914 not sure if it was part of the same trip
Posted By: nightwalker Re: Commemorative Medal for King/Queen 1914 - 21st May 2012 8:57pm
He laid the foundation stone of Wallasey Town Hall on 25th March 1914. Probably a case of finding things for him to do while he was in the area.
Posted By: bert1 Re: Commemorative Medal for King/Queen 1914 - 21st May 2012 8:57pm
It was a Royal Visit to the area, I think he went on a Ferry boat and called in on the Cheshire Regiment. I've got a commemorative plate somewhere with George V and Mary on it, might be the same year, I'll have to check.
Posted By: granny Re: Commemorative Medal for King/Queen 1914 - 21st May 2012 9:06pm
Originally Posted by BennyBoy
That's what I thought when I saw the footpath named after them. But what was their main reason for coming because they wouldn't come all the way to open a footpath. I know they came to port sunlight in march 1914 not sure if it was part of the same trip


Yes, I think it was during the same vist. There is a house in Bridge Street with a plaque on the wall outside,commemorating a visit to the house.

I have a book with some more (not a lot) about the visit, will try to find it and let you know. Although I think the main part of the visit was to Liverpool.
Posted By: BennyBoy Re: Commemorative Medal for King/Queen 1914 - 21st May 2012 9:27pm
There is also a commemorative coin for that visit as well to port sunlight

Tha question I wanted to answer to was
1 how rare are they
2 who got given them, where they free or given to important people etc?
Posted By: marty99fred Re: Commemorative Medal for King/Queen 1914 - 21st May 2012 9:33pm
The opening of the extension to Bidston Hill on 25th March 1914 was indeed part of the same Royal Visit to Cheshire during which the King and Queen laid the foundation stone for Wallasey Town Hall. On what was quite a busy day, they also opened a new wing at Chester Infirmary, visited Lever Brothers works and Cammell Laird's, and laid the foundation stone for the Lady Lever Art Gallery! Mind you there wasn't much physical effort involved in all this opening and foundation-stone laying, as it was all achieved through the wonders of modern technology by pressing electric buttons... The full itinerary for the day was published in The Times at the end of January 1914.

Their Majesties were due to stay with Lord Derby at Knowsley Hall from 24th to the 28th March, attending the Grand National Meeting at Aintree on the 26th and 27th, but owing to an escalation in the ongoing crisis in Ulster they cut short their visit and returned to London on the morning of the 26th.

Attached picture Royal Visit 1914.jpg
Posted By: cathcart Re: Commemorative Medal for King/Queen 1914 - 22nd May 2012 4:46am
ive had that medal for awhile now they are on e bay quite often,very nice ,anice keepsake.
Posted By: chriskay Re: Commemorative Medal for King/Queen 1914 - 22nd May 2012 6:11am
Wow, the King must have had a sore thumb after all that button pressing (and in some cases it was a multi-function button). Which park did he open?
Posted By: granny Re: Commemorative Medal for King/Queen 1914 - 22nd May 2012 6:37am
Royal Visit March 1914. King George V and Queen Mary

On the occasion of laying the foundation stone for Wallasey Town Hall.

A specially built platform was erected in Central Park. A cable was carried from the park to the site of the Town Hall Brighton Street. The King can be seen pressing the lever which set the electric motor going at the site, nearly half a mile away and the foundation stone fell into place.
The ceremony was watched by Queen Mary and Mrs Burrows, wife of the Mayor Alderman Burrows.

There was a Royal Visit to Liverpool in July 1913 to open the first phase of the Gladstone Dock and another in 1927 to open another part of the Gladstone Dock.

Copied from 'Wallasey of Yesteryear' and Liverpool and the Mersey by Peter Woolley.
Posted By: chriskay Re: Commemorative Medal for King/Queen 1914 - 22nd May 2012 6:47am
Thanks, Granny. The newspaper said that he opened a park from Birkenhead Town Hall; must have got it wrong.
Posted By: bert1 Re: Commemorative Medal for King/Queen 1914 - 22nd May 2012 6:48am
Originally Posted by chriskay
Wow, the King must have had a sore thumb after all that button pressing (and in some cases it was a multi-function button). Which park did he open?



Perhaps the reporter of the above meant Bidston Hill, considering the King opened the footpath.
Posted By: granny Re: Commemorative Medal for King/Queen 1914 - 22nd May 2012 6:52am
Originally Posted by granny
Originally Posted by BennyBoy
That's what I thought when I saw the footpath named after them. But what was their main reason for coming because they wouldn't come all the way to open a footpath. I know they came to port sunlight in march 1914 not sure if it was part of the same trip


Yes, I think it was during the same vist. There is a house in Bridge Street with a plaque on the wall outside,commemorating a visit to the house.

.

Beg your pardon, it is a house in Bolton Road, Port Sunlight.Not Bridge Street.
Posted By: granny Re: Commemorative Medal for King/Queen 1914 - 22nd May 2012 6:59am
Originally Posted by chriskay
Thanks, Granny. The newspaper said that he opened a park from Birkenhead Town Hall; must have got it wrong.


He may have done Chriskay, this book only covered Wallasey, and I need to get my eyes tested as it states Central Park was a mile away, not half a mile as I put. Lord, old age is a terrible thing!
Posted By: marty99fred Re: Commemorative Medal for King/Queen 1914 - 22nd May 2012 10:58am
The "park" referred to was the extension to Bidston Hill on the south side of Vyner Road North, land which was not part of the original purchase made by the Corporation in 1894.

One noticeable thing about the King's duties that day is that on no occasion was he actually at the location where the opening took place or the foundation stone was laid, and as there were no TV cameras in those days he basically wouldn't have had a clue what happened when he pushed all those buttons. As far as he was concerned he pushed a button and everyone applauded and the crowd cheered and that was it! Nice work if you can get it...
Posted By: BennyBoy Re: Commemorative Medal for King/Queen 1914 - 22nd May 2012 11:06am
I did read about it but I can't remember where. The article said that he arrived at Birkenhead park train station and opened the footpath. Do you think he would have walked all the way up to the windmill?
Posted By: chriskay Re: Commemorative Medal for King/Queen 1914 - 22nd May 2012 5:53pm
Originally Posted by BennyBoy
Do you think he would have walked all the way up to the windmill?


Well, he wouldn't have had to walk all the way to the windmill; the path starts at the junction of Upton Rd. and Boundary Rd. I actually passed on on the bus today.

As you say, Marty, easy being king with all those electric buttons. Oh, and thanks for clearing up where the "park" was.
Posted By: BennyBoy Re: Commemorative Medal for King/Queen 1914 - 23rd May 2012 7:45am
Forgot about that way up sorry!

Posted By: bri445 Re: Commemorative Medal for King/Queen 1914 - 23rd May 2012 8:39am
In the 'family heirlooms' box is this medal from the Port Sunlight visit. Brief though it was, Lever Bros. could afford to issue a souvenir of the ocassion.
It may have come via an uncle who worked there at the time.

Attached picture IMG_4722.JPG
Attached picture IMG_4723.JPG
Posted By: granny Re: Commemorative Medal for King/Queen 1914 - 23rd May 2012 9:09am
Fabulous find. Almost an antique. Thanks bri445
Posted By: bri445 Re: Commemorative Medal for King/Queen 1914 - 23rd May 2012 10:17am
Interesting transport when they visited Lever's factory!

Attached picture IMG_0001.jpg
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