A Celebration of Peace

Here are a few shots of a coin I found whilst sorting out some old stuff.
It seems to shows the commemoration of the end of WW1, complete with the name "Mirfin" who appears to have been the Mayor of Hyde at the time.

If anyone has anymore information regarding it please let us know!

Please note.
Posts may be sporadic in the next few weeks as I try to get my computer and scanner working properly.
I will endeavour to keep the blog going as much as possible though.

Thanks for your support.
Nancy.

Addendum (by Dave Williams)

'The History of Hyde' says this about John Mirfin, Mayor 1917 to 1919:

'John Mirfin in early life became overlooker at a silk and cotton mill in Newton Heath, but left the mill to become licensee of the Woodman Inn, George Street, Hyde. His quiet demeanour and upright conduct soon caused the inn to become one of the best conducted hotels in the town, and when he contested the Newton ward in the Conservative interest in 1906 he was elected to the Town Council, and was again returned at the head of the poll in 1909. In 1910 he became an alderman, and retained the position until his death. Mr Mirfin was the first licensed victualler to be made Mayor of Hyde, and up to that time there had been some feeling about the advisability of appointing a license-holder to the position of chief magistrate. But Mr Mirfin's quiet and conscientious performance of his duties won the respect and admiration of all classes, and for two strenuous years in the war period Mr and Mrs Mirfin as Mayor and Mayoress discharged the many difficult tasks that fell to their lot in a way which sustained the highest tradition of the offices. Mr Mirfin died in Preston on April 28^th, 1923, at the age of 57 years, but was interred in the Hyde cemetery, the Mayor and Corporation attending the funeral.'

The report in the book of the ending of the war includes the following:

'Peace Day was celebrated throughout the world on Saturday, July 19^th, 1919 and Hyde, in common with the whole British Empire, gave itself up to a full day of joy-making.'

And later on:

'Each child attending the day schools in the borough was presented with a medal as a souvenir of the signing of peace.'

I endorse Nancy's comments and I'll try to chip in with posts as and when I've got the material to do so.