• Title
  Item 10: Peking Siege Medal [awarded to George Ernest Morrison], ca. 1903
• Call number
  SAFE/R 644/Item j
  
• Level of description
  item
• Date
  
  ca. 1903
• Type of material
  Medals
• Reference code
  442362
• Issue Copy
  Digitised
• Physical Description
  1 medal - bronze - 6 cm. diameter
  
• ADMINISTRATIVE/ BIOGRAPHICAL HISTORY
  
  The Peking Siege Commemoration Medals were struck at the instigation of Mr. Arthur D. Brent, an employee of the Hong Kong & Shanghai Bank, who was himself present throughout the siege during the Boxer Rebellion, and were presented to those who were present at the Defence of Legations, June 20 to August 14, 1900. The inscription on the reverse represents the words that appear on the wall of Rembrandt’s Belshazzar's Feast and were interpreted to mean, “Thou art weighed in the balances, and art found wanting.” Taken from the Book of Daniel, the words are a portent of doom.
  
  Morrison was in China during the Boxer Rebellion of 1900, as foreign correspondent for The Times. He reported on the Peking siege of foreign legations by the Boxers, and was awarded this medal for bravery, being wounded while rescuing another
• Scope and Content
  1 bronze medal in velvet and silk-lined presentation box:
  Obverse: the Chien-Men Gate to Peking engulfed in flames, with a cannon below, and the curved inscription 'UNII XX - AUGUSTI XIV, A.D. MDCCCC' around the upper edge.
  Reverse: Britannia and Germania clasping hands, with a Chinese figure in the background and a Dragon below, and the curved inscription, 'MENE, MENE, TEKEL, UPHARSIN' around the upper edge and below 'ICHABOD!'
• Access Conditions
  
  Access via appointment
• General note
  
  Digital order no:Album ID : 825714
  Part of the papers of George Ernest Morrison at MLMSS 312 -
• Signatures / Inscriptions
  
  "J. Tayler Foot / Medallist / 18 Poland Street / London. W" -- printed on silk lining of box
  "Peking Siege 1900 / G.E. Morrison, M.D. / 'Times' correspondent" -- embossed on box cover
  "J. Tayler Foot, S.C." -- embossed on obverse
• Creator/Author/Artist
  Morrison, George Ernest, 1862-1920
  
• Subject
  Sieges--China.
  Adult Females
  
• Topic
  dragons
  fires
  military medals
  
• Place
  China--History--Boxer Rebellion--1899-1901.
  
• Exhibited in
  
  Nelson Meers Foundation Heritage Collection - State Library of New South Wales
• Open Rosetta viewer
  IE1634435

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