Stanhope Medal

The Stanhope Medal or Stanhope Gold Medal is an award given annually by the UK's Royal Humane Society for the most courageous and heroic rescue that was made in the previous year. It is in memory of Chandos Scudamore Scudamore Stanhope for his life-saving events.

The "Stanhope Medal" is named after the British Royal Navy officer Chandos Scudamore Scudamore Stanhope (1823–1871). He is recognised as a national hero and received a Royal Humane Society Silver Medal in 1851 for a life-saving event in rescuing a seaman. Some of his friends set up a memorial fund to honour him as he died at the age of 48. They raised a large sum of money for the idea of perpetuating his heroic deeds by the issuance of a yearly gold medal for an extraordinary noteworthy rescue.

The Stanhope Medal is presented in honour of Chandos Scudamore Scudamore Stanhope. He received the Royal Humane Society's silver medal for heroism in saving a seaman's life. Stanhope died in 1871 when he was 48 years old, from smallpox that he contracted while on duty in Malta.

The Royal Humane Society issues the Stanhope Medal as its highest honour bestowed of its heroism awards. The award is presented annually for the most gallant rescue of the previous twelve months. It has been awarded by the Liverpool Shipwreck and Humane Society, as well as by Humane Societies in Australia, Canada, and New Zealand. Periodically no medal has been awarded as no significant rescue was deemed sufficiently worthy during the previous 12 months.

The gold medal was officially founded in 1873. The medal issued in the twenty-first century is identical to the Royal Humane Society's bronze and silver awards but is in 9-carat gold. Before 1937, the Stanhope Medal was 18-carat gold on a plaque-shaped bar inscribed with date of award and "STANHOPE MEDAL". It became 9-carat gold in 1942.

The Royal Humane Society Police Medal is awarded each year to a United Kingdom police officer whose lifesaving act is judged more notable than others. They started issuing the award in 2000. Recipients of the Stanhope Gold Medal do not receive the Royal Humane Society Police Medal on the same notable event.

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