A Banbury, Oxfordshire 'Father & Son' medal pair: The Nason family, late Banbury Volunteer Fire Brigade & 'Banbury Detachment' 2nd Volunteer Battalion Oxfordshire Light Infantry, the 'Banbury Volunteers'

1). Banbury Volunteer Fire Brigade Medal. ‘Fire Brigade Competition Medal 1874'. With top pin-back brooch buckle

- Obverse: Borders comprising sprays of tied & tasseled laurel leaves, with centre engraved inscriptions on 2 x lines

- Reverse: Inscription engraved on 4 x lines ‘Fire Brigade Competition at Banbury, July 1874'

Sold together with:

- Original score sheet for the Fire Brigade Competition of 1874

- A copied group photograph of the Banbury Volunteer Fire Brigade circa 1874 with medals up, with recipient Henry Nason identified as standing front row second from right

The group photograph of the Banbury Volunteer Fire Brigade, was published in the "Banbury Guardian" issue of, 21 July 1927. The newspaper having captioned title 'Banbury Fire Brigade 1874' and a key identifying each of the Firemen by name

The Fire Brigade Medal is positively attributed as being the one awarded to Fireman Henry Nason - father of Frederick George Nason.

The 'Oxford Times' issue of 17 February 1872, published the below notice under the local 'Banbury' district news:

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The Fire Brigade - At a meeting held on Monday evening, messers. George Htichcox and Henry Nason were elected members of the Fire Brigade

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Important: Only 8 x medals were awarded to the Banbury Volunteer Fire Brigade for their regional Fire Brigade Competition held in Banbury in July 1874

The Banbury Volunteer Fire Brigade was only established in 1870 - and in their local region had already earned a reputation for their high levels of efficiency ad fire drill, having already won the regional Fire Brigades Competition held at Newport Pagnell in 1872. The Banbury Volunteer Fire Brigade again won the regional Fire Brigade Competition, held at Banbury on 27 July 1874. A very lengthy - and extremely detailed - account of the Fire Brigades Competition held at Banbury was published in the Banbury Guardian issue of, 30 July 1874. and should be referred to, not least as the competition involved no les than 10 x listed Fire Brigades from Oxfordshire, Buckinghamshire, Bedfordshire & Warwickshire the article also confirms the presence of 'Nason' (who had joined the Banbury Volunteer Fire Brigade) in 1872

The 'Banbury Guardian' issue of September 1874 included an interesting article on the Banbury Volunteer Fire Brigade's ‘Fire Brigade Competition Medal 1874' which we are quoting below:

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The Late Fire Brigade Competition.- A very pretty silver medal has been presented by Captain Field to each of the Banbury eight in the late Fire Brigade Competition viz., Lieut. Chard and Firemen H. Jarvis, Greatorex, Robeson, Nason, Bromley, Gilkes and Hadley. On one side is engraved "1st Prize B.V.F.B." on the other "Fire Brigade Competition at Banbury, July 1874." We understand that the badges distributed to the eight members of Banbury Fire Brigade who carried off the first prize at Newport Pagnell, two years since, are to be done away with and a medal similar to the one mentioned above, has been given in lieu of them, the medal is engraved on one side "1st Prize B.V.F.B." and on the other "Fire Brigade Competition at Newport Pagnell, July 1872." The members of the Banbury Brigade who competed at Newport Pagnell were Messers. A.B. Field, Stevens, Bromley, Crosby, Brummitt, Chard, Gilkes, and Jarvis.

Unquote.

The "Banbury Advertiser" issue of, 1 August 1907, includes a detailed obituary pertaining to the late Henry Nason

2). Volunteer Force Long Service Medal. EDVII issue. With top pin-back brooch buckle (1729 Pte F. G. Nason. 2/V.B. Oxford L.I.)

Medal Verification: Confirmed awarded in 1909, the 'Banbury Advertiser', issue of, 28 January 1909 containing the below notification:

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Volunteer and Territorial Medals - Col.-Sergt. H. Swain and Private F. G.Nason, of the Banbury Detachment, have been awarded the Volunteer long service medal. In a supplementary list to that published last week of those who have been awarded the Territorial Force efficiency medal appears the name of Sergt. A. J. Kilby, also of the Banbury Detachment

Unquote.

The VFLSM was personally presented to Private F.G. Nason at a large regimental event held at Banbury in April 1909, where the 4th Battalion Oxfordshire & Buckinghamshire Light Infantry (Territorial Force) had been assembled. At this event Lord North pinned the VFLSM on the breast of the recipient Private F. G. Nason (the Banbury Guardian, issue of 15 April 1909, refers)

A very lengthy obituary was published in the 'Banbury Guardian', issue of 16 January 1947, from which we are below quoting the first parts....

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DEATH OF Mr FRED NASON

64 YEARS WITH BANBURY FIRM

Sixty-four years ago, as a boy of 14, Frederick George Nason was apprenticed with messers, Neale and Perkins the Banbury firm of iron-mongers. He became a tin-smith, copper-smith and lock-smith and as the years went by his reputation as a craftsman increased until it was second to none in the town. Daily he was to be found busily engaged in the firm's workshop at the top of Pepper Alley, just off High Street, and until a month ago he was scarcely ever missing from his bench on a working day. During the last year or two his working hours, at the suggestion of the proprietor, Mr. N. J. White, became gradually shorter, but he would never think of retiring, and it was not until last month when illness took hold of him for almost the first time in his life, that he laid down his tools for the last time. He died at the Horton General Hospital on Saturday at the age of 78.

Mr. Nason was the son of the late, Mr. Henry Nason, saddler, of Broad Street, a well-known Banbury family. He never married and had lived for some years in Grosvenor Road with his sister. His friendly disposition and conscientious workmanship made him greatly liked and respected in the circles where he was for many years a familiar figure. In his earlier days he was a keen athlete and an active member of the old Banbury Harriers'Athletics Club, for whom he ran and boxed. He was also a keen skater and his prowess in this direction was demonstrated whenever he had the chance on any winter ice in the neighbourhood. A member of the old Banbury Volunteers he gained a much treasured long service medal........

Unquote.

Note: While for positive attribution purposes we prefer to sell these medals as a family related lot, we will consider requested from clients only wishing to purchase the Fire Brigades medal and ephemera

A rare Victorian provincial Fire Brigade Medal in a family lot that is of considerable Banbury, Oxfordshire, local history interest

Condition: Toned EF

Code: 21362