KGV Kaisar-I-Hind 1st Class gold medal with ornate suspensio...

Hammer

£1,550

KGV Kaisar-I-Hind 1st Class gold medal with ornate suspension brooch bar in box of issue attributed to John Somervell Hoyland about mint.
John Somervell Hoyland was born in Edgbaston, Birmingham on 12 December 1887, the eldest son of John William Hoyland (1855-1927) and Rachel Anna Somervell (born 1853). The Hoylands were an old Quaker family and John William Hoyland was the first principal of the Kingsmead College in Selly Oak, Birmingham, a college for training missionaries. John Somervell Hoyland was educated at King Edward's School, Birmingham, Christ's College, Cambridge and Hartford Seminary School of Missions, USA (1907-1910). In 1911, Hoyland took part with other British Young Friends in a visit to the USA which contributed to the unification of American Quakers. From 1912 to 1928, Hoyland worked as a missionary in India. He began as principal of the Friends' Mission High School at Hoshangabad and in 1919 moved to Nagpur to become a lecturer in history and English at Hislop College where he remained until 1928. He was awarded the Kaiser-i-Hind Gold Medal in connection with his assistance during an influenza epidemic in 1918. On his return to England, he joined the staff of Woodbrooke, the Quaker College in Selly Oak. He remained there for 24 years as a lecturer in biblical, social and international questions.
John Hoyland was known as 'Jack'. He married Helen Doncaster (1887-1919) in 1913 but she died while in India. He married South African-born Jessie Mary Marais in 1921 who survived him. Hoyland died on 30 October 1957.
Also with KGV Kaisar-I-Hind 2nd Class silver miniature medal and a copied photo of recipient. His papers are held by the University of Nottingham with the largest series being his letters relating to his time as a missionary in India between 1912 and 1928. (See photo) (R)