These images are provided for non-commercial use under a Creative Commons License (BY-NC-ND). To license a high resolution version, please contact our image library who will discuss fees, terms and waivers.
Download this imageCreative commons explained - what it means, how you can use our's and other people's content.
Mint:
London
Die-engraver:
Wyon, Allan
Artist:
Boucher, Frank
The island of Hong Kong, a British possession since the end of the First Anglo-Chinese War, fell victim in 1894 to a wave of bubonic plague which was sweeping China. The crowded settlement was a closed zone for five months.
During this time three hundred men of the Shropshire Light Infantry and various other military and naval personnel were also caught on the island. The work they did in maintaining order and assisting the medical effort was acknowledged by the Governor of the colony with this medal. As it is not a Service medal, it could not be worn in uniform.
This piece went to Private G. Taplin of the Shropshires; he had to have the engraving of his name corrected. Lester Watson purchased the medal at some point before 1928.
History note: Gift of L. Hoyt Watson; ex Lester Watson Collection, bt before 1928
Given by Lester Watson through Cambridge in America, 2009
Diameter: 36 mm
Weight: 28.49 g
Method of acquisition: Given (2009) by Watson, Lester
Production date: AD 1894
Name corrected (engraved)
Inscription present: Doctor warding off flying figure of Death from Chinese patient on table, attended by nurse; `1894' on scroll in exergue
Inscription present: Inscriptions with border between
Accession number: CM.1237-2009
Primary reference Number: 141331
Watson Catalogue: 135
Ordering: M-0120
Previous object number: LW.0120
Stable URI
Owner or interested party:
The Fitzwilliam Museum
Associated department:
Coins and Medals
This record can be cited in the Harvard Bibliographic style using the text below:
The Fitzwilliam Museum (2024) "Hong Kong Plague Medal" Web page available at: https://data.fitzmuseum.cam.ac.uk/id/object/141331 Accessed: 2024-11-29 08:03:03
To cite this record on Wikipedia you can use this code snippet:
{{cite web|url=https://data.fitzmuseum.cam.ac.uk/id/object/141331
|title=Hong Kong Plague Medal
|author=The Fitzwilliam Museum|accessdate=2024-11-29 08:03:03|publisher=The
University of Cambridge}}
To call these data via our API (remember this needs to be authenticated) you can use this code snippet:
https://data.fitzmuseum.cam.ac.uk/api/v1/objects/object-141331
To use this as a simple code embed, copy this string:
<div class="text-center">
<figure class="figure">
<img src="https://data.fitzmuseum.cam.ac.uk/imagestore/cm/cm15/LW_0120_281_29.jpg"
alt="Hong Kong Plague Medal"
class="img-fluid" />
<figcaption class="figure-caption text-info">Hong Kong Plague Medal</figcaption>
</figure>
</div>
Updates about future exhibitions and displays, family activities, virtual events & news. You'll be the first to know...
