[Bingbong]

Hello, I'm looking for any information on a walking stick that was presented to a VC winner in 1931. I assumed that all VC winners must have received one but after searching for hours on internet I couldn't find anything at all about it. The card says that it was bought by Miss F. E. Sutcliffe OBE and presented to VC J.W. Ormsby in 1931. It says that the cane is made from oak from the roof of Westminster Hall which was erected in 1398. If anyone knows who Miss F.E. Sutcliffe is too, that would great.

Thank you.

 

[cobalt]

Am correct in thinking tht the V.C. refers to the victoria cross?

I dobt that all V.C. awards would have got one.

Just the fact that it it was awarded to someeone who won a V.V. would give it a lot of extra value provifding of coares it can be proved

I would have thougth tracing some one with OBE. would be resonable simple as theye are quite a few site tracing ancestries. and something like that would stand out .

Also would have thought that a VC . would be simple to trace

 

[Bingbong]

Thank you for your reply Cobalt. Yes, that's right; VC = Victoria Cross. The walking stick was presented to John William Ormsby VC MM in 1931. My friend, his granddaughter, has it now. The walking stick was presented with a card (Details below).

As for the lady with the OBE, I thought it would be easy to trace her too, but I haven't found anything yet.

Card reads: PRESTON HALL INDUSTRIES - BRITISH LEGION VILLAGE - AYLESFORD - KENT

This is to certify that the walking stick No.449 purchased by Miss F.E. Sutcliffe OBE is manufactured from oak from the roof of Westminster Hall, which was erected in the year 1398, in the reign of Richard II. Signed (not sure about the signature but I think it says G W Line) -- British Legion Industries - dated 13.1.1931. Presented by her to John William Ormsby Sergeant no1836 KOYLE. VICTORIA CROSS.

 

[dww2]

Maybe you could contact Royal British Legion Industries and see if they have records going back to 1931 regarding special presentation pieces. Miss F E Sutcliffe OBE may have been a charitable contributor and simply happened to provide the money which paid for the stick.

The only references to her I could google up were a letter written in her position as Honorary Secretary of the High Peak Women's Unionist Association, Buxton Branch and an article from the Aberdeen Press and Journal, Aberdeenshire, Scotland. You need to subscribe to the Press and Journal site to read it so I didn't.

 

[Bingbong]

Thank you very much for your reply DWW2.

Contacting the Royal British Legion Industries is a good idea.

I also found the same link on Miss Sutcliffe but couldn't find anything else about her. I will have to subscribe and read the letter because I suspect that she is on one of J.W. Ormsby's photos that he saved but it looks like it's not going to be an easy task to find out.

Thank you once again for your help.