Author Topic: Looking for Civilian Bravery award.  (Read 1186 times)

Offline trish58

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Looking for Civilian Bravery award.
« on: Friday 24 August 18 02:48 BST (UK) »
My Great Uncle was reported to have received The Royal Humane Society award for diving into the River Dee appears he dived in 3 times, he was living in Aberdeen at the time and this would have been 1886-1894.

Name John Alexander Rae, this is all I know.

Thank you
Trish.
Rae, Feeney, Singleton, Appleton, Agnew, McKeachie,
Fury, & many more

Online mckha489

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Re: Looking for Civilian Bravery award.
« Reply #1 on: Friday 24 August 18 03:31 BST (UK) »
It’s reported in several Dundee papers

20 November 1891 - Dundee Evening Telegraph. (This one has a portrait)

12 November 1891 - Dundee Courier - Dundee, Angus, Scotland

They have his name as James

Offline trish58

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Re: Looking for Civilian Bravery award.
« Reply #2 on: Friday 24 August 18 04:12 BST (UK) »
Thank you for the info. I don't have access to newspapers.

Many thanks.
Rae, Feeney, Singleton, Appleton, Agnew, McKeachie,
Fury, & many more

Online mckha489

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Re: Looking for Civilian Bravery award.
« Reply #3 on: Friday 24 August 18 04:16 BST (UK) »
I've pm'd you


Online mckha489

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Re: Looking for Civilian Bravery award.
« Reply #4 on: Friday 24 August 18 04:43 BST (UK) »
I do like the facts that.

1. He wasn't in Aberdeen but Brechin (and had been for 4 years)
2. It was the river South Esk, not the River Dee
3. His name was James not John.

Perfect example of family stories having an element of truth but not the whole truth.

Offline trish58

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Re: Looking for Civilian Bravery award.
« Reply #5 on: Friday 24 August 18 05:11 BST (UK) »
Thank you so much for the info.

I am also doubting that this is him as he was always know as John Alexander, his occupation was a "Sawyer" Journeyman even at the time of his death in 1935 in Buckingham England, plus the family was Scottish / Irish and the family spent a lot of time in Ireland.

This only came to me yesterday and not sure now how to tell the lady that her Grandfather was not the one who received the award. Maybe I should keep quite.

Many thanks again.
Rae, Feeney, Singleton, Appleton, Agnew, McKeachie,
Fury, & many more

Online mckha489

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Re: Looking for Civilian Bravery award.
« Reply #6 on: Friday 24 August 18 05:22 BST (UK) »
Don’t tell her yet, I might have found something else. It’s more obscure
But there is a mention of a “young lad Rae” in an article about the “Bon accord swimming club and humane society”.  In February 1891 so before the August incident. I’ll keep looking

Aberdeen Journal, Saturday February 28th

Offline trish58

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Re: Looking for Civilian Bravery award.
« Reply #7 on: Friday 24 August 18 05:29 BST (UK) »
Will wait a while, thanks
Rae, Feeney, Singleton, Appleton, Agnew, McKeachie,
Fury, & many more

Online mckha489

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Re: Looking for Civilian Bravery award.
« Reply #8 on: Friday 24 August 18 05:33 BST (UK) »
Found it! Under Alexander Rae. Includes the diving three times, and is in the Dee
What are the odds of there being two humane society awards to men of same surname so close together!

4 June 1890 - Aberdeen Press and JournaL