2022/23/1-2

James Andrew Restall (Manufacturer)

This Poultry Club medal was awarded to Muriel Jane Carter in the 1930s. She bred and showed chickens, especially Faverolles. The silver medal has images of five chickens on the obverse and ‘The Poultry Club // Founded 1877’ on reverse. The medal has a maroon leatherette presentation box, lined with blue velvet and white silk. It was made by J A Restall, jeweller, silversmith and medallist of Birmingham, with a hallmark date letter of 1935. The medal came to the Museum with a large donation of material from the Poultry Club.

1) medal, 2) box: metal, leather, fibre

MERL Object Entry Form - '3 medals in presentation boxes: 2 are from the Poultry Club. 1 is from the British Dairy Farmers Association. All won by Aunt of the donor, Mrs Muriel Jane Carter. She farmed with her husband. She kept chickens, Faverolles, and took them to shows in London. The medals are from the 1930s. Donated to the Poultry Club for preservation and passed to the Museum of English Rural Life.', MERL Miscellaneous note - Interview with donor on Thursday 9 June. Mrs Muriel Jane Carter (nee Sealey) bred chickens to show. She especially bred Faverolles. She is donor’s aunt. She married and farmed in Gloucestershire, then moved to farm at Balance Farm, Essex or Sussex, before retiring to Gloucestershire. Her father told her he remembers the chickens strutting on the kitchen table and being preened, before taking them to the poultry show in London. She also showed at the Three Counties Show. When Muriel died her belongings went to donor’s parents. Her mother gave her Muriel’s medals. They were kept for 20-30 years before she then donated them to the Poultry Club to preserve them.

Birmingham

1935 - 1935

Metal, silver, Leather, Fibre