CANADA Grand Trunk Railway Trevithick Medal Leroux 640 with WYON CASE

Description

Richard Trevithick Medal by J. S. Wyon 45mm Bronze Medal 51.7 grams Leroux 640, Breton 109, Charlton 5170 with Joseph S. Wyon Case

Obverse: GRAND TRUNK RAILWAY COMPANY OF CANADA Bust, left, J. S. WYON signed below. RICHARD TREVITHICK in two lines in the right field.

Reverse: an unengraved lozenge Above: PRESENTED BY THE DIRECTORS TO, below FOR GENERAL EFFICIENCY AND GOOD CONDUCT DURING THE YEAR.

Edge is impressed "F. H. TREVITHICK LOCO. SUPERINTT"

The father Richard had built the first working steam locomotive, the son Frederick Henry Trevithick was the Locomotive Superintendent of the Grand Trunk Railway. Contrary to the Charlton Catalogue of Canadian Association, Society Commercial Transportation Medals this medal is known with different edges - plain, F. H. Trevithick, and W. S. Mackenzie - SCARCE very seldom encountered especially with the case.

from the Cornishman 23 Jan 1902

Mr Frederick Henry Trevithick, youngest son of the famous Richard Trevithick, engineer, died at his residence, Kernon, Paignton, on Tuesday. Born in 1816, he commenced his profession in the engineering works of his uncle, Mr. Henry Harvey, of Hayle.

Draughtsman with Messrs. Bramah, Pimlico, at Sheffield, cashier to Messrs. Harvey & Co. Hayle, assistant locomotive superintendant on the Eastern counties railway, builder, in 1859, of the first locomotive in Canada, active in the United States, Russia, Denmark, Spain, Portugal and elsewhere., he led an active life for nearly 60 years, then settled down in Paignton in 1875. On leaving the London and South-western, Eastern counties railway (Great Eastern) and the Grand Trunk Railway of Canada, he was presented with handsome testimonials (which he use to call his medals) subscribed for by officers and men. He was the chairman of Paignton school board for many years, and took active interest in all public matters.

The portrait on the medal is from the bust by the Cornish sculptor Neville Northey Burnard (now in the Royal Cornwall Museum, Truro).

The last example that I owned of this medal sold at auction for $990, without a case.