There is a single issue of medals made by The West Ham School Board between 1892 and 1899. A table showing the known, and conjectural, varieties is shown below.
| Dates Issued | Years | Metal | Obverse Type | Reverse Type |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1892 - 1895 | 1, 2 or 3 | Silver | 1 | 1 |
| 1894 - 1899 | 1 or 2 | White metal | 1 | 1 |
| 1896 - 1899 | 3 | Silver | 1 | 2 |
| 1896 - 1899 | 4 | Silver | 1 | 2 |
| 1896 - 1899 | 5 | Silver | 1 | 2 |
| 1897 - 1899 | 6 | Silver | 1 | 2 |
The start date is uncertain. Cedric Dry lists a white metal medal dated 1894. There are also silver medals dated 1894. This must mean that the silver 1894 medal is a three year medal. In turn, this implies that the first medal issue must date from 1892. The above table is based on the assumption that the first medals date from 1892.
Click on a medal to view an enlarged image
| Obverse Type 1 | Reverse Type 1 |
|---|---|
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| Reverse Type 2 (3 Years) | Reverse Type 2 (3 Years) |
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| Reverse Type 2 (4 years) | |
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Abstracts from the minutes of the West Ham School Board 1893 to 1899.
1893.
Under the 'New Prize Scheme', it was stated that, for Boys', Girls' and Infants Schools, a silver medal will be given to each scholar, who attends punctually, on every occasion that the school is open during the school year. (Author: As yet, no 1892 or 1893 medal has been seen).
1894.
The Board also arranged to present Silver Medals to those children who have been present on each occasion that the school has been open throughout the year, and large numbers of those medals have been duly earned by the children.
In consequence, however, of the increase in the number of medals and prizes awarded, the Board has been compelled to adopt a new Prize Scheme which provided for an increased number of attendances necessary to qualify for a prize.
Prizes will be given to all scholars, in each Standard, whose conduct has been uniformly good throughout the year, and who have made 97% of punctual attendances during the School Year.
A medal will be given to each Scholar whose conduct has been uniformly good throughout the year and who attends punctually on every occasion that the school is opened during the School Year.
The first and second Medals will be of white metal, and the third and subsequent Medals of silver; these need not be consecutive years.
1896.
... Added to these, 1722 white metal medals, for perfect attendance, were awarded, and 141 children received silver medals, they having attended, for at least three years, every time the school had been open.
1897.
No alteration has been made in the Prize Scheme during the year, the total number of prizes supplied being 8863, but besides this 2326 white metal medals which are given for perfect attendance have been awarded, and in addition 376 children received silver medals, each one having attended on every occasion the school has been open for three years.
The conditions for the award of medals changed as follows:- A medal will be given to each scholar whose conduct has been uniformly good throughout the year, and who attends punctually on every occasion that the school is opened during the school year. Exceptions not exceeding two attendances in each year.
1898.
There were distributed 2,882 white metal medals, and 614 silver ones, in each of the latter cases the children had made punctual attendance for at least three years.
Much dissatisfaction having been expressed in connection with the attendance of children - it being stated that on many occasions, children who were physically unfit were still attending school so as to qualify for the medal - the Board, having fully considered the whole question, resolved to discontinue at the end of the current school year, the issue of medals, and to this extent the Prize Scheme has been altered.
1899.
A total of 1,661 white metal medals, and 564 silver ones, were also distributed, these being the last that will be provided by the Board under the altered conditions, the Board having seen fit to discontinue the medals as a part of the prize scheme.
| Medal Images | |
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| West Ham School Board - Silver - 1894 - 3 year medal | |
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| West Ham School Board - White Metal - 1895 - 1 year medal | |
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| West Ham School Board - Silver - 1895 - 3 year medal - Award year only stated. | |
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| West Ham School Board - Silver - 1895 to 1897 - 3 year medal - All three years stated. | |
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| West Ham School Board - Silver - 1895 to 1897 - 3 year medal - First and Last dates stated. | |
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| West Ham School Board - Silver - 1895 to 1898 - 4 year medal - First and Last stated. | |