Royal Humane Society award

The most recent issue of "Remember When" published by the Evening Chronicle in Newcastle includes in its Roll of Honour column the following:

1954: The Royal Humane Parchment was presented to 12-year old Anne Valerie Daglish, a pupil of Central Modern School, Wallsend. William Messenger, a nightwatchman, had been overcome by gas and fell into a four feet deep trench. In a gallant rescue Valerie managed to help the victim to safety.

The Royal Humane Society is a charity that grants awards for acts of bravery in the saving of human life and, also, for the restoration of life by resuscitation. Its awards range from bronze, silver and gold medals to Testimonials on Vellum and Parchment.

The Testimonial on Parchment is awarded where someone has put themselves in danger to save, or attempt to save, someone else. Many of the awards go to people who have swum to the rescue of someone else - in a quarry, a lake, a river or at sea.