Free Library Newport Mon. Silver Medal, 1879
Item reference number: 171
FREE LIBRARY NEWPORT MON.
SCIENCE AND ART CLASS PRIZE
AWARDED TO
LILLIAN HAWKES 1879
Approximately 50mm diameter, the silver medal seems to be the work of B. Sulman, medallist, London.
Please contact us if you possess one of these medals or a bronze or silver one.
The presentation of the award to Lillian Hawkes (or Mary Lillian Hawkes) is mentioned in the newspaper article transcribed below:
Weekly Mail, 10th January 1880
"NEWPORT SCIENCE AND ART SCHOOLS. DISTRIBUTION OF PRIZES."
"On Tuesday evening a public meeting was held in the Town hall to distribute prizes awarded to successful students. The chair was taken by Mr. Thomas Beynon, chairman of the committee, and he was supported by Messrs. B. Evans, J. S. Stone, C. Kirby, H. L. Daw, A. R. Stonehouse, W. Ward, and R. H, Johns, and there was a good attendance of students and their friends. A number of drawings was shown on the walls.
The CHAIRMAN said he had great pleasure in presiding, and would not yield to anyone in his admiration for these schools. The institution was begun in 1872, and in the following year received its first grant of £50 from Government. Last year the grant was £79. The free library committee had given material assistance, and he always felt that that was a right course to be adopted. An effort had been made to get a new building for the free library and these schools. He regretted that that effort was unsuccessful, especially as Cardiff was now about carrying out such a scheme. The committee had secured new premises in the Albert hall Chambers, and that cost £200 to furnish. He paid a tribute to the memory of Mr. Nelson Hewertson, who had so kindly bequeathed a sum of money to these schools; and now, through the kindness of Mrs. Hewertson, the sum of £1,427 10s had been paid into the National Provincial Bank of England to the credit of the schools. (Loud applause ) He congratulated the town on the possession of this valuable institution, and bespoke for it greatly increased interest and support, specially drawing attention to the afternoon drawing class at the new rooms, as well as the ordinary classes in the evening. (Applause )
Mr. R. H. JOHNS, the honorary secretary, read a brief report.
The CHAIRMAN then distributed the prizes as follows:-
PRIZE LIST FOR THE SESSION 1878 9. - Lucy Rosa Morgan, certificate for freehand drawing; Clara Maud Lewis, model; James Bowditch, freehand; Lionel Ernest Lewis, freehand; Edwin Roderick, freehaud; Herbert Edwin Watkin, freehand; John Linton, freehand and art works; Richard W. Gwatkin, freehand and art works; Percy W. Franklin, freehand, model, and art works. The following students received certificates for art works:- Jessie Martin, Annie Needham; Edith Locks, Ada Barter, Lizzie Bryan. Edith Bailey, Katie Wells, Charles Horton, Ernest Elliott, Thomas George, Henry Paterson, Edward Tapson, Herbert Price, and Harold S. Blackborow. William Hunt and Anthony E. Roberts, magnetism and electricity; Stephen Fetter, building construction; Louisa Lea, art works, geometry, and acoustics, light and heat; J.R.W. Long, machine construction and mathematics; Jessie Turner, perspective, 2nd grade art certificate; Sarah Jayne, certificate and box of colours for freehand; Sarah Williams, art works, plane and solid geometry, Walker's Handbook of Drawing; William Davies, acoustics, light and heat, building construction, geometry, Burchitt's Plane Geometry; Roger Bucknal, magnetism and electricity, and acoustics, light and heat., Tyndall's Notes on Electricity, Hardwicke's Mechanics, and Daschanel's Heat; William A. Linton, freehand, mathematics, and acoustics, light and heat, box of colours, and Proctor's Orbs Around Us; Horace H. H. Hadnutt, art works, geometry, and acoustics, light and heat, Dennis's 3rd grade Perspective; Lillian Hawkes, art works, freehand, plain and solid geometry, 2nd grade art certificates, Walker's Handbook of Drawing, and Dennis's 3rd grade Perspective; Wm. J. Hunter, magnetism and electricity, acoustics, light and heat, machine construction, plane and solid geometry, applied mechanics, Tyndall's Notes on Light, Maxwell's Theory of Heat, Goodeve's Steam Engine; Francis T. W. Goldsmith, freehand, model, geometry, perspective, 2nd grade art certificate, building construction, acoustics, light and heat, mathematics, Dennis's 3rd grade Perspective.
TOWN MEDALS. - Lillian Hawkes, silver; Francis W. Goldsmith, silver; and William J. Hunter, silver. Sarah Williams stood second in the list of ladies, but was .disqualified from receiving the bronze medal usually voted, on account of being awarded the silver medal last year; and as William Hunter obtained the bronze medal awarded to the males last year, and his passes this year being in advanced stages, a second silver medal was awarded him by the committee.
Mr. A. J. STEVENS moved "That this meeting, recognising the great advantages to be derived by studying in the various classes, desires to record its gratification on the improved accommodation at the Albert-ball Chambers, and pledges itself to make these advantages more fully known." He said the proportion of students to the population was not as large as it ought to be, and he urged the students to remedy this by doing all they could to make its advantages known. (Applause.) Mr. B. EVANS briefly seconded the resolution.
Mr. J. S. STONE supported the resolution, and said he attached great importance to this institution, as affording the means of instruction in science and art. He spoke of the assiduity of Mr. Bush, and was sure the success of the students would be a great encouragement to him in the future. (Applause.) Better accommodation should secure a very much larger attendance of students in the future, and the town should not be behind other towns of alike size. (Applause.)
Mr. G. Baker said he had always taken great interest in these classes, and made some observations as to the want of success adequate to the necessities of the town.
Mr. C. Kirby said a certain amount of ignorance had existed as to the advantage of these classes, and urged the audience to do their best to spread abroad the knowledge which it was desirable should be diffused. The committee desired that the students and friends of the institution should rally round them and assist in making these classes a thorough success. (Applause.) He said the charge for the afternoon would be 5s per month. (Applause.)
The resolution was carried. Mr. A R. Stonehonse moved a vote of thanks to the hon. secretary. It was seconded by Mr. H. L. Daw and carried unanimously. Mr. Johns returned thanks. Hearty thanks were also given to the chairman, on the motion of Mr. Stevens. The Chairman responded, and the proceedings closed with a vote of thanks to the mayor for the use of the hall."
The humble start of Newport Science and Art Schools eventually lead to the present UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH WALES. See the link below for a download (PDF, 4700KB) of the informative book "NO MORE WORLDS TO CONQUER" which traces this development.
It seems Lillian's original name was Mary Lilian Hawkes. She was born in Newport, 1859, and became Mary Lilian Baynham in 1883 when she married Samuel Edmund Baynham. Her father was a commission agent and her husband a railway travelling auditor. They had 3 children - Edmund, Lilian and Edith. She died in Worcester in 1903.
NO MORE WORLDS TO CONQUER
Free Library Newport Mon. Bronze Medal