William Lee

I would like to find information on a medal/coin I have. On the front it has the crest of Coventry. On the bottom it says 'Willam Lee mayor'. The reverse has a picture of King George V and Queen Mary. Around the edge it says 'King George V and Queen Mary crowned June 22/1911'. It is 1.250" wide and is made of copper (I think), it also has a hole in it with a couple of links. I would love to find out more on this (what metal it was made of, how they were issued and what for) I have checked on this site and he was mayor 5 times up to 1910.

Hello and welcome to the forum, and thanks for the post I think I've come up with the answer via good old Google - it would appear to be a 1911 Coronation Medal - there's one listed on this dealer's site : Peter Morris And there's one on ebay with a description and photo : ebay link

For those who have never heard of Alderman William Lee he was a 'Beduth lad' who was born around 1842 in Roadway (now Park Road) in the centre of Bedworth. He attended the Central Boys School in High Street which is now the site of the Health Centre and Police Station, opposite the Civic Hall. After leaving school he worked for the Ribbon Manufacturer James (Paddy) Hart (see Copsewood Grange) in Hart's warehouse in Earl Street, Coventry in the 1850s. He eventually established his own silk ribbon weaving business in Priory Row, Coventry. As already noted he was Mayor of Coventry for five successive years (1906-1911). He was also one of the driving forces behind the Coventry Martyrs Cross (The Coventry martyrs were burned at the stake between 1510-1555 on a site in Little Park Street). The idea for a monument to the Coventry martyrs was first proposed in a letter from 'Spectator in Warwickshire' to a local newspaper. A committee was appointed and, chaired by William Lee, first met in September 1908. Nearly £200 was raised for the monument by public subscription. Although the donations mainly came from Coventry, some came from further afield, including America. The cross was unveiled by the Mayor, William Lee on 15th September 1910, at a ceremony conducted by F.M. Brodie, the Vicar of Christ Church and in the presence of nearly one thousand people. An example of the 1911 medal and commemorative plate can be seen at the Bedworth Heritage Centre for the next few weeks. I've tried without success to add images of medal and William Lee.

William Lee in full regalia

Thank you Heritage, once more close links between Bedworth and Coventry.

I believe that my maternal grandmother Mary E Kendall was nursemaid, a recently married woman in 1906, and newly arrived in Coventry, to the children of Alderman William Lee, in Spencer Avenue.