The Stanhope Medal or Stanhope Gold Medal is an international award given annually by the United Kingdom's Royal Humane Society for the most courageous and heroic rescue that was made in the previous year. It is in memory of British Royal Navy officer Chandos Scudamore Scudamore Stanhope, who performed several life-saving events during his lifetime.
Background
The "Stanhope Medal" is named after British Royal Navy officer Chandos Scudamore Scudamore Stanhope. He served as a naval officer mate from November 1842 after he passed his officer's exam. He was promoted to lieutenant in March 1846. Stanhope was also a personal assistant to First Lord of the AdmiraltyHugh Childers. He served on, a 50-gun ship with captains Sir John Hay and Sir Provo William Parry Wallis. He was appointed in December 1846 to, a 110-gun ship of Sir John West at Devonport. Stanhope later served from August 1847 in the Pacific on, an 84-gun ship commanded by Rear-Admiral Phipps Hornby. Stanhope became a captain in August 1858. He commanded from Rio de Janeiro to Singapore in 1867. Stanhope received a Royal Humane SocietySilver Medal in 1851 for the rescue of a drowning seaman. He died from smallpox in 1871 when he was 48 years old. Soon after his death a group of his friends formed a memorial in his honour and raised four hundred poundsa large sum at the timefor the issuance of a yearly gold medal honoring a courageous rescue. They gave the money to the Royal Humane Society on the terms that any interest the money earned would be for a periodic gold medal to be given for the greatest gallantry of a hero of the previous year. It is called the "Stanhope Medal."
Description
The Royal Humane Society issues the Stanhope Medal as the highest of several heroism awards. The award is presented annually for the most gallant rescue of the previous twelve months. The first gold medal awarded went to Matthew Webb in an attempt to rescue a man drowning in the Atlantic Ocean in 1873. The medal is inscribed with Lateat Scintillvia Forsan, the motto of the Royal Humane Society, which means “a small spark may perhaps lie hid.” Beginning in 1962 several societies began nominating rescues for the award, including the Liverpool Shipwreck and Humane Society and the Humane Societies in Australia, Canada, and New Zealand. In five years1959, 1960, 1961, 1969, and 1973no medal has been awarded as no significant rescue was deemed sufficiently worthy during the previous 12 months. The medal issued in the twenty-first century is identical to the Royal Humane Society's bronze and silver awards. The Stanhope Medal has been in 18-carat gold and suspended from a plaque-shaped bar inscribed with date of award and the words STANHOPE MEDAL. It became 9-carat gold in 1942.
The Royal Humane Society Police Medal is awarded each year to a United Kingdom police officer whose lifesaving act is judged more notable than others. The society began issuing the award in 2000. Recipients of the Stanhope Gold Medal do not receive the Royal Humane Society Police Medal on the same notable event.
Notable recipients
The standard for the award of the Stanhope Gold Medal has been met by the following notable recipients for the years designated.
