Description
Baronet's Badge (22 Kt. Gold with red, white and black enamels, engraved "Truscott of Oakleigh 1909", hallmarked with the Royal crown, a leopard's head (made in London), dated marked "o" (1929) and maker marked "R.J" on the reverse, 36 mm x 46 mm, on a full-length neck ribbon, in its hardshelled case of issue, recessed medal bed); Knight's Bachelor Badge, Large 1st Type, awarded by King George V (multi-piece construction, silver gilt with red enamels, engraved "GEORGE WYATT TRUSCOTT, BARONET & KNIGHT.", hallmarked with the British lion, a leopard's head (made in London), dated marked "l" (1926) and maker marked "R.J" on the reverse, 56 mm x 77.3 mm, vertical pinback, in its hardshelled case of issue, recessed medal bed); London Alderman's Neck Badge (multi-piece construction, silver gilt and enamels, engraved "ALDERMAN TRUSCOTT. J.P. MASTER 1901-02." on the reverse, 37.5 mm x 43.2 mm, with an 11.5 mm x 26.3 mm silver gilt and enamelled suspension hanger, on a full-length neck ribbon with hook and eye, in its hardshelled case of issue, emboss stamped "ALDERMAN TRUSCOTT, J.P. MASTER. 1901-2." on the lid, maker marked "P.G. Dodd & Son Limited London" on the inside lid, recessed medal bed); John O'Gaunt's Bowman Neck Badge (three-piece construction, silver gilt with green enamels, 36.5 mm x 61.2 mm, in its hardshelled case of issue, maker marked "MARTIN & SON CHELTENHAM" on the inside lid, recessed medal bed); and John O'Gaunt's Bowman Medal (silver gilt, 38 mm, original ribbon with two clasps (one is a crown, the other is dated "MDCCCCI" (1901), with pinback hanger, in its hardshelled case of issue, maker marked "W.J. TAYLOR LONDON" on the inside lid, recessed medal bed). Extremely fine.
Footnote: Sir George Wyatt Truscott was born on October 9, 1857, the son of Alderman Sir Francis Wyatt, Lord Mayor of London from 1879 to 1880 and Elizabeth Truscott (nee Freeman). He was educated at private schools and abroad in Paris and was later chairman of Brown, Knight and Truscott, a firm of printers and stationers. Truscott married Lady Jessie Guthrie Truscott (nee Stanham, April 3, 1854 - August 3, 1921), the only daughter of George Gordon Stanham, on October 26, 1889. She herself would later be invested as a Dame of Grace of the Order of St John (known today as the St. John Ambulance), an organization dedicated to humanitarian aid and primary medical treatment for all. The couple had four children: Mary Guthrie Truscott (born September 14, 1890 to unknown), Nancy Wyatt Truscott (March 27, 1892 - March 30, 1966), Francis George Truscott (August 12, 1894 - April 6, 1917) and Eric Homewood Stanham Truscott (February 16, 1898 - May 11, 1973). The family lived in some style. In 1911, they resided at Greatwood, Camden Wood, Chislehurst with two domestic nurses, a sick-nurse and five other household staff, as well as outside staff (coachman, grooms, gardeners etc). George Wyatt Truscott was a Common Councilman for the City of London from 1882 to 1895, when he was elected Alderman of Dowgate Ward, City of London, in succession to his late father in 1895, and was to hold the position until 1941. He was on Commission of the Lieutenancy for the City of London, effective 1895, with announcements listed in various editions of the London Gazette under "One of His Majesty's Lieutenants for the City of London" (L.G. 25998 of Tuesday, December 3, 1889, page 6927; L.G. 27754 of Friday, January 13, 1905, page 326; L.G. 28091 of Friday, December 20, 1907, page 8871; L.G. Gazette 28683 of Tuesday, January 21, 1913, page 491; L.G. 33352 of Tuesday, January 31, 1928, page 686; L.G. 33505 of Tuesday, June 11, 1929, page 3862; L.G. 33591 of Tuesday, March 25, 1930, page 1894; L.G. 33682 of Tuesday, January 20, 1931, page 461; L.G. 33909 of Tuesday, February 7, 1933, page 829), and was the Lieutenancy's Treasurer in 1929. Truscott was Sheriff of the City of London, the highest police official, from 1902 to 1903 and held the office of Lord Mayor of London between 1908 and 1909, when William Gladstone was Prime Minister. Truscott knew Edward VII, Catherine and William Booth, and Winston Churchill. Truscott was decorated with the award of the Edward VII Coronation Medal in 1902, was invested as a Knight in 1902 and was raised to First Baronet of Oakleigh, East Grinstead, Sussex, on July 16, 1909. He was listed on the Roll of Baronets, as of December 4, 1914, as published in the Supplement to the London Gazette 29056 of Tuesday, February 2, 1915, on Wednesday, February 3, 1915, page 1162, listed as "1202 U.K. Truscott of Oakleigh", with his investiture date of July 16, 1909. He also held the office of Justice of the Peace and was named an Honourary Freeman of the City of London in 1937. Sir George and Lady Truscott's older son, Francis Truscott, attended Rugby School, then was admitted as a pensioner to Trinity College, Cambridge in June 1912. He represented his college at Henley the following year, and when the First World War broke out, he immediately sought a commission as a 2nd Lieutenant in the Suffolk Cyclists Corps (London Divisional Cyclist Companies, Divisional Mounted Troops, Territorial Force) and went straight from college into the army, having been awarded a BA degree. He fought with the 6th Battalion, Suffolk Regiment (Territorial Force), twice being Mentioned in Despatches, once in November 1915 for bravery in the Battle of Loos. In January 1916, 2nd Lieutenant Francis Truscott, Suffolk Regiment (Territorial Force) was awarded the Military Cross, the announcement appearing in the Fourth Supplement to the London Gazette 29438 of Tuesday, January 11, 1916, on Friday, January 14, 1916, page 589, with no citation published. He transferred to the Royal Flying Corps in January 1917, as a Flying Officer (Observer) in 45 Squadron, the announcement appearing in the Seventh Supplement to the London Gazette 29946 of Tuesday, February 13, 1917, on Thursday, February 15, 1917, page 1624 and was later credited with being instrumental in destroying two German planes. On April 6, 1917, 2nd Lieutenant Francis Truscott and his pilot, 2nd Lieutenant J. A. Marshall, took off at 9:10 a.m. on a routine reconnaissance patrol in a Sopwith Strutter (A1093), along with other members of their squadron. The two were shot down by Ltn Joachim von Bertrab of Jasta 30 at 10:43 a.m. Two other planes belonging to 45 Squadron were shot down within minutes of this. Marshall was killed outright (he was only 19) and Francis Truscott died of his wounds later that day. He was buried originally in Ramegnies Churchyard next to his pilot but was later moved to Tournai Communal Cemetery (Allied Extension), Hainaut, Belgium, Grave Reference: II. J. 29. It was von Bertrab's third victory, he himself later shot down on August 12, 1917 by "Mick" Mannock of No 40 Squadron RFC and taken prisoner. Francis Truscott is remembered on the War Memorial in the village of Ashurst Wood, two miles south of East Grinstead. His father, Sir George Wyatt Truscott was the chairman of the war memorial committee in the village, and he unveiled the memorial in August 1921. Their younger son, Sir Eric Homewood Stanham Truscott also fought in the First World War. He was a Cadet when he was named a 2nd Lieutenant with the Garrison Battalion, Suffolk Regiment effective September 5, 1917, the announcement appearing in the Eighth Supplement to the London Gazette 30311 of Tuesday, September 25, 1917, on Friday, September 28, 1917, page 10011. He survived the war and would succeed his father as Baronet. Sir George Wyatt Truscott's wife, Lady Truscott, died on August 3, 1921, at the age of 67 and it is on her grave, that her son Francis is remembered. In addition to the group presented here, which includes the Baronet's Badge, the Knight's Bachelor Badge, the London Alderman's Neck Badge, the John O'Gaunt's Bowman Neck Badge and the John O'Gaunt's Bowman Medal, Sir George Wyatt Truscott was also awarded the Belgian Order of Leopold, Officer, the French Order of the Legion of Honour, Officer, the Japanese Order of the Rising Sun, Knight Commander, the Russian Order of St. Stanislaus, Grand Cross and the Swedish Order of Vasa, Grand Cross. He was a member of the Carlton, City Carlton and Royal Empire Society Clubs; the Chairman of the Visiting Committee of the City of London Mental Hospital; the Governor of St. Bartholomew's, St. Thomas's and Bethlehem Hospitals, and of Queen Ann's Bounty; a member of the Board of Management of the London Homeopathic Hospital since 1911 (he laid the Cornerstone of the Henry Tyler Wing of the London Homeopathic Hospital on June 30, 1909, alongside John George Edward Henry Douglas Sutherland Campbell, 9th Duke of Argyll, Robert William Perks, and John Pakenham Stilwell). He himself was a patient of homeopathy, and afterwards, he became a lifelong supporter of homeopathy, and a contributor to the James Compton Burnett Memorial and was a President of the British Homeopathic Association. Sir George Wyatt Truscott died on April 16, 1941, at the age of 83. His estate notice appeared in the London Gazette 35319 of Tuesday, October 21, 1941, page 6151: "NOTICE is hereby given pursuant to the Trustee Act, 1925, that all persons having any claims or demands upon or against the estate of Sir GEORGE WYATT TRUSCOTT, Baronet Justice of the Peace, Alderman of the city of London late of 30, Albert Hall Mansions, Westminster, S.W.7, and of Suffolk Lane, Cannon Street London E.G.4, deceased, who died on the 16th day of April 1941 and whose Will with one Codicil thereto was proved by the Midland Bank Executor and Trustee Company Limited, Henry Dexter Truscott, J.P. Sir Eric Homewood Stanham Truscott, Baronet and William Stanger Tredgold the executors named in the said Will on the 8th day of September 1941 in the Principal Probate Registry, are hereby required to send in the particulars of their debts or claims to the said executors at the offices of the undersigned their Solicitors on or before the 3ist day of December 1941. And notice is hereby also given that after that day thie said executors will proceed to distribute the assets of the said deceased amongst the parties entitled thereto having regard only to the claims of which they shall then have had notice and that they will not be responsible for the assets or any part thereof so distributed to any person of whose debt or claim they shall not then have had notice. Dated this 16th day of October, 1941. BELL, BRODRICK and GRAY, 22, Martin Lane, Cannon Street, London, E.G.4, Solicitors for the said Executors."