The Silver Medal is the Company's oldest award and was inaugurated in 1889. The Medal was originally established as an annual award to the most distinguished student of (in turn) the Royal Academy of Music, the Royal College of Music and the Guildhall School of Music & Drama. Consequently, there was only one medal awarded each year, with the student being selected in rotation from the three major Conservatoires.
In 1956 the gift of the Lady Corbett Memorial Fund, followed by that of the Bannerman Lockett Fund, enabled the Company to grant the Silver Medal annually to the RAM and RCM respectively. The Company decided at that time to also convert the GSMD's triennial award into an annual Medal by drawing on its own funds. However, in 1959 a generous gift of stock from Mr H. Seymour Fowler, a Liveryman, endowed the GSMD Silver Medal in the same way as the others.
Over time, other establishments were added to the list of Silver Medal recipients and also the Military Schools of the Army, Navy and RAF. Further details and the Silver Medal Award Winners from these Conservatoires, Military Establishments and Schools are provided via the following buttons:
Shown (right) is a modern (2014) example of the Company's Silver Medal. The actual Silver Medal presented to Herbert Howells (while he was at the Royal College of Music) in 1915 is shown below. Click on the image to expand.
This presentation box contains the Medal and two miniatures. It was sold by the Howells' family at auction in 2010. The Court Minutes of 26th October 1915 (Page 48) record the fact that Herbert Howells attended the Court Meeting on that day and was presented with this Medal by the Master. Click Here to see those minutes.
Special Presentations of The Silver Medal (since 2008 it has become a Gold Medal to distinguish from the above) outside of Conservatoires and Military Establishments are made from time to time in recognition of the recipients' services to music and to the Company. Details of those receiving such an award can be found by Clicking Here.
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