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There were two issues of Walthamstow medals. The first issue was made by The Walthamstow School Board, between 1899 and 1903. The second issue was made by The Walthamstow Education Committee, between 1904 and 1910. A table showing the known issues is shown below. Illustrations of the medals follow the table. The final section of this page contains information abstracted from the local archives.

Issuer	Years	Dates	Metal	Obverse Type	Reverse type
W.S.B.	1	1899 - 1903	Bronze	1	1
W.S.B.	1	1900 - 1903	Bronze	1	2
W.S.B.	2	1899 - 1903	Silvered	1	1
W.S.B.	2	1900 - 1903	Silvered	1	2
W.S.B	3	1900 - 1903	Gilt	1	1
W.S.B	3	1901 - 1903	Gilt	1	2
W.S.B	4	1899 - 1903	Bronze	2	5
W.S.B.	5*	1899 - 1903	Silvered	2	5
W.E.C.	1	1904 - 1908	Bronze	3	2
W.E.C.	1	1905 - 1908	Bronze	3	3
W.E.C.	1	1909 - 1910	Bronze	3	4
W.E.C.	2	1904 - 1908	Silvered	3	2
W.E.C.	2	1905 - 1908	Silvered	3	3
W.E.C.	2	1909 - 1910	Silvered	3	4
W.E.C.	3	1904 - 1908	Gilt	3	2
W.E.C.	3	1905 - 1908	Gilt	3	3
W.E.C.	3	1909 - 1910	Gilt	3	4
W.E.C	4	1904 - 1908	Bronze	4	5
W.E.C.	4	1909 - 1910	Bronze	4	6
W.E.C	5	1904 - 1908	Silvered	4	5
W.E.C.	5	1909 - 1910	Silvered	4	6
W.E.C	6	1904 - 1908	Gilt	4	5
W.E.C.	6	1909 - 1910	Gilt	4	6
W.E.C.	7	1904 - 1908	Silver	3	3
W.E.C.	7	1909 - 1910	Silver	3	4
W.E.C	8	1904 - 1908	Silver + Bar	3	3
W.E.C	8	1909 - 1910	Silver + Bar	3	4

* No example of this medal located.

Notes:

As the minutes contain a reference to an eight year medal being awarded in 1904, it has been assumed that attendance prior to the start of the scheme was taken into account when awarding a medal. It is therefore possible that School Board medals for years 6, 7 and 8 may exist.

Reverse 1 - Although this Reverse should have been discontinued from 1900 onwards, its use continues in parallel with Reverse 2 until 1903.

Reverse 2 - Although this Reverse should have been discontinued from 1905 onwards, its use continues in parallel with Reverse 3 until 1908.

 

Abstracts from the minutes of The Walthamstow School Board. 1898 - 1903.

April 26 1898

It was resolved that with a view of ascertaining the best means of obtaining an improved attendance, the following members be appointed a committee to consider the whole question of prizes and medals. ---

October 25th 1898.

It was reported that special prizes for perfect attendance had been awarded as follows.

It was agreed that Messrs. Spencer and Company's estimate be accepted for Regular Attendance and Good Conduct medals and stars as under.

Cost of die for medals about £7.

Cost of die for stars about £6.

May 30th 1899.

Spencer and Co paid £17-7-6 for specimen medals and dies.

July 25th 1899.

Agreed to vote a sum not exceeding £350 for School prizes and medals.

November 28th 1899.

Spencer and Co. paid £76-14-3 for medals for several schools.

January 23rd. 1900.

Cost of Spencer & Co. altering medals dies £3-7-6. (Author: '19' date prefix added to die)

February 18th. 1901.

Agreed to abolish awarding of medals to Infant Schools to children below the 1st. standard.

March 17th. 1902.

Children absent through orders of Medical Officer to qualify for medals.

June 9th. 1902.

Children absent on orders of Doctor and with a Doctor's Certificate to qualify for medals.

September 4th. 1903.

Schools management sub-committee submitted a report that the medals should be struck with the same die as last year. (Author: Medals for year 1903/04 to be issued using the 19.. die)

December 12th. 1903.

A note be made for a different style of medal for next year. (Author: Medals for year 1904/05 onwards to be issued using a fully dated die).

Abstracts from the History of the Walthamstow School Board:

School Prizes and Medals.

It very soon became evident to the Board that in order to ensure anything like a regular attendance, something in the way of prizes would have to be offered to encourage the better attendance of children at School.

The first resolution in that direction was passed in December, 1880, authorising "an expenditure not exceeding £5 in prizes to be distributed at Christmas." Over £600 per annum is now (1904) expended in School prizes and medals. Being to the advantage of the Board in many ways to secure a regular and punctual attendance of scholars, the Board arranged an improved prize scheme for attracting a higher average attendance.

One of the advantages of an improved attendance is the much larger grant received from the Imperial funds.

The following example may serve to shew how important it is that a regular attendance be maintained:- If we have 20,000 children on books as being in attendance each time the School is opened during the year we should get, say, £30,000 grant; if on the same basis each child only attended eight times instead of ten during the week, the Board would only receive £24000 a loss in grant of £6000 for the year.

Prizes are also given for proficiency in the following special subjects:-

Drawing, Manual Instruction, Needlework, Cookery.

In addition to prizes for regular attendance, good conduct and general progress medals are awarded to each scholar in the 1st or higher standards who attends punctually on every occasion, save three, that the School is opened during the School year.

Each department under the Board is supplied with a silk banner with the following words thereon:-

"THIS CLASS MADE THE HIGHEST ATTENDANCE DURING THE PAST WEEK"

 

Medal Images
Walthamstow School Board - Bronze - 1 year medal
Walthamstow School Board - Silvered - 2 year medal
Walthamstow School Board - Gilt - 3 year medal
Walthamstow School Board - Bronze Cross - 4 year medal

Abstracts from the minutes of The Walthamstow Education Committee. 1904 - 1910.

March 25^th 1904.

Medals to issued with old design, but 'Education Committee' substituted for 'School Board'.

May 17^th 1904

Cost of new dies: Round £4-12-6, Star £5-15-0. Will ask for new tenders.

July 19^th 1904

Tenders received from:

July 25^th 1904.

The following tenders were considered:-

It was agreed to recommend, that the tender of Messrs D.G. Collins and Co. of Newgate St. be accepted, subject to the Secretary approving the specimens to be submitted, and to the firm agreeing to supply medals of the same quality as those now being submitted under Messrs Spencers and Co's tender.

A letter was received from St. Saviour's Schools stating that two boys had gained 8th. and 7th. year medals. Agreed they be awarded medals in accordance with those received by the other council schools, and the managers should provide extra bars necessary to recognise these special cases.

September 23rd. 1904.

A letter from Messrs Collins stated that the quoted price of 2/9 for the silver medal should have been 3/9, accepted.

May 11th. 1905.

Collins to be asked if they wish to continue their contract on the same terms. If not they should submit a new tender.

May 15th. 1905.

Collins say they wish to quote new prices. Decided as Ormes of Hoe St. tender is lower in many respects to accept it.

1	2	3	4	5	6	7	One of each
1/1½	1/0½	1/1½	1/4½	1/5½	1/6½	5/6	13/2

Tender accepted if quality as before and can complete delivery by end of first week in September.

Medal Images
Walthamstow Education Committee - Bronze - 1 year medal
Walthamstow Education Committee - Silvered - 2 year medal
Walthamstow Education Committee - Gilt - 3 year medal
Walthamstow Education Committee - Bronze Cross - 4 year medal
Walthamstow Education Committee - Silvered Cross - 5 year medal
Walthamstow Education Committee - Gilt Cross - 6 year medal
Walthamstow Education Committee - Silver - 7 year medal
Walthamstow Education Committee - Silver - 8 year medal

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