medal, First Class Medal, medals, prize, Britain, W. WYON...
medal, First Class Medal, medals, prize, Britain, W. WYON A.R.A. / MINT
Artist: Wyon, William, artist; Date(s): 1835 - 1851; Classification(s): medal, First Class Medal, medals, prize, Britain, W. WYON A.R.A. / MINT; Acquisition: given by Watson, Philip Charles, 2005-01-31 [CM.85-2005]
Description: The Cornwall Polytechnic Society was founded as a philanthropic organisation by the Fox family of Falmouth, Quaker mine-owners, in order to promote the ideas and inventions of their workers. It became the Royal Cornwall Polytechnic Society in 1835 with a grant from King William IV. It has contributed widely to the advancement of science and industry in the South-West of England, most notably in mining, and since 2000 has been merged with the Falmouth Arts Society to promote all forms of culture and learning. From its inception the Society intended to further invention and progress by the means of prizes and competitions, and funds were established accordingly. The First Class prize medal was designed by William Wyon of the Royal Academy, and featured James Watt, popularly credited with the invention of the steam engine. This example came to the Museum from the collection of Wyon's descendant Allan Gairdner Wyon, but despite this is not, as are most of the other pieces in the collection, a specimen copy. Around the edge it bears the inscription: `"LOCO" VAPOUR GAS LIGHT CO. LTD., FOR PETROL GAS MACHINE', showing us that this piece was in fact a genuine award. The company appear to have met with little success in the face of advances in electric lighting and to have been going out of business by the early twentieth century, despite this earlier success.
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