Australian Historical Medals

Lot 537    SESSION 3 (2.30PM TUESDAY 23RD NOV)    Australian Historical Medals

Estimate $2,500
Bid at live.noble.com.au
SOLD $2,400

BRENDAN LANE-MULLINS MEMORIAL MEDAL, Founded 1917, Australian Historical Society, in gold (15ct; 41.48g; 39mm) (C.1917/7), by Amor, edge inscribed, 'Walter George Keith Duncan 1920.'. Uncirculated.

The following was reported in The Sydney Morning Herald on Tuesday 5 February 1918, page 7.

'BRENDAN LANE MULLINS MEDAL.
By arrangement with the Australian Historical Society, Mr. John Lane Mullins, M.L.C., has provided for the annual donation of a gold medal, of the value of ?5, in memory of his only son, Lieutenant Brendan Lane Mullins, R.F.A., who gave his life in the cause of freedom and Australia, at Arras, France, on June 14, 1917.

The medal was open to competition to candidates sitting for the Leaving Certificate Examination, and was to be awarded to the candidate presenting the best answers in the Honors Paper in Australian History at that examination, provided that the Chief Examiner in that subject (the professor of history at the Sydney University) certified that the answers were of approved merit.

On Professor Wood's recommendation, the Australian Historical Society has allotted the first "Brendan Lane Mullins" Memorial Medal to Malcolm William Donald McIntyre, of the Scots College.'

John Francis Lane Mullins, P.C., K.C.S.G., (1857-1939) was admitted as a solicitor in 1885 and was called to the bar in 1930. He helped form the NSW Irish Rifle Regiment in which he was a captain. During his life he held many positions including being an alderman on Sydney City Council, a Nationalist Party member of the NSW Legislative Council, honorary treasurer of St Mary's Cathedral, honorary treasurer of St Vincent's Hospital, director of Tooheys Ltd, Toohey Standard Securities Ltd, Lisgar Investment and Building Society, The City Mutual Fire Insurance Ltd and other positions. In 1903 John Mullins was appointed a Privy Chamberlain to Pope Pius X and a Knight Commander of St Gregory in 1917.

Walter George Keith Duncan was a student at Sydney Technical High School. The Brendan Lane-Mullins Memorial Medal was presented to Walter Duncan by Mr P.Board, Director of Education at the annual presentation of prizes held at the school on Wednesday 23 March 1921. Duncan went on to become a professional academic.'

See also lot 553.