Description
Visit to Ireland Medal 1900, also known as Queen Victoria’s Commemoration Medal 1900 (Ireland), fitted with original Shamrock brooch bar.
Officially engraved: “PC H. SLOAN D.M.P.”
A scarce medal, with only 2,285 being recorded as issued, for Queen Victoria’s Visit to Ireland between 3 and 27th April 1900.
The awards were split between members of the Royal Irish Constabulary (R.I.C.) and the Dublin Metropolitan Police (D.M.P.) who were on duty at the engagements during the Queen’s Visit. Some additional awards were made to related Civil Service Staff of the Police.
Police Sergeant Henry Sloan of the Dublin Metropolitan Police, was a long serving Policeman of 28 years, who first joined the force in 1894 and left in 1922.
He can be found in a number of cases in Dublin newspapers, catching burglars etc, and being awarded a certificate from the Dublin RSPCA.
He was born during 1874 and lived originally in Tullyliskin (now Tullanisken?), New Mills, County Tyrone, Ulster, Ireland.
He had been a Farmer by trade before going south to Dublin aged 19 to join the Dublin Met Police on 1st June 1894 with warrant number 9863.
Promotion to Sergeant, the Irish Independent, 5th November 1908:
“PROMOTION IN THE DMP… Constable Henry Sloan, 151 B, promoted to Sergeant and Transferred to the D. Division to fill a vacancy.”
Dublin Daily Express, 20th September 1910:
“DROWNED IN THE LIFFEY”
Recalls the death of James Reid, aged 20 who was drowned in the Ringsend Basin, Sergeant Sloan (9E) represented the police in the case.
In Weekly Irish Times, 19th August 1911, recalls a court case titled “MILLTOWN PUBLICAN’S SUICIDE”
“Sergeant Sloan 9E, said the occurrence was reported to him the previous morning by the last witness, He found the deceased lying in the position described by Murray, on a table by the side of the bed the witness found a bottle labelled POISON, a drinking glass, slightly discoloured and a tin containing a powder…”
Dublin Daily Express, 13th March 1913, recall an award from the RSPCA
“PREVENTION OF CRUELTY TO ANIMALS
AWARDS TO THE RIC AND DMP
Colonel Sir NFF Chamberlain KCB KCVO, Inspector General and Colonel Sir JFG Ross of Bladesnburg, KCB KCVO, Chief Commissioner, have sanctioned the following awards granted by the Dublin Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals to members of the RIC and DMP for promoting the cause of humanity and prosectuing offenders-
D.M.P. – Certificates – …Sergeant Henry Sloan, 9E…”
Dublin Daily Express, recalls him saving animals, 4th May 1912:
“CRUELTY TO A HORSE
In Southern Police Court yesterday before Mr Swifte, a man named Patrick Kennedy, 2 Dartmouth place, Ranelagh, was charged by Sergeant Sloan (9E) for having ill treated a horse at Ballsbridge on the 15th April.
Sergeant Sloan stated that at the time the animal was not in a fit condition and was suffering from two raw sores, one of the left hip and other on the right side of the neck, and which came in contact with the collar.
Kennedy was fined 10s.”
And again on 16th November 1912:
“CRUELTY TO ANIMALS
Yesterday in Southern Police Court, before Mr Swifte, Sergeant Sloan (9E) summoned Hugh Byrne, 62 Thorncastle Street, Ringsend and Mary Reilly, 24 Thorncastle Street, Dairy Proprietors, for having on the 26th and 28th October worked horses suffering from sores, which came in contact with the narness. Both were fined 5s.”
During 1916, Sergeant Sloan was again brought into court, part of a very lengthy court case of Mary Hogan vs the Dublin United Tramways Company, It was an action brought by Miss Mary Hogan, an organiser of schools under the National Education Board, to recover £1,000 damages from the Dublin United Tramways for personal injuries to her owing to the alleged negligence of the defendants.”
Sergeant Sloan after the accident was called over to investigate and stated in court: “Said he examined the cab after the accident and found a slight mark on the axle box. He also examined a tram which was pointed out to him as having been on the Sandymount Road at the time of the accident tot he cab, and found some slight marks on the left front portion of it.”
Be warned Cat lovers, the Dublin Evening Herald of 4th June 1918 recalls:
“CAT AND PIGEON CASE
Before Mr Swifte, in the Southern Police Court today, Wm J. Farrell, of 93 Haddington Road, described as a Piano-Tuner, was summoned by Sergeant Sloan (9E), at the Suit of Margaret and Kathleen Whelan, 95 Haddington Road, for alleged cruelty to their cat by beating it with a garden rake, between 1 and 2pm on 20th May.”
The next part recalls the sad beating of the Kitten which was later found bleeding and barely able to crawl, they were found guity and fined 40s and 20s costs were imposed additionally.
His retirement notes in the Weekly Irish Times, 22nd April 1922:
“SERGEANT HENRY SLOAN, E Division, has retired on pension from the force after a service of over 28 years. He joined from Tullyliskin, New Mills, CO. Tyrone, in January 1894, and served in the B,A,C,B,D, and E Divisions.”
He is shown on the 1911 Census of Ireland as living with his wife, Dublin born Florence Elizabeth Sloan (born 1887 in Dublin), at Strasburgh Terrace, Dublin.
He is noted as a Police Sergeant, born in County Tyrone, who could read and write and was a member of the Church of Ireland (Episcopalian).
He died in Dublin South, during late 1946 when aged about 70.
A death notice for his wife Florence, was placed in the Belfast Telegraph on 19th February 1959:
“SLOAN – February 18, 1959, at Hospital, FLORENCE ELIZABETH, dearly beloved wife of the late Henry Sloan, Ex-Sergeant, Dublin Metropolitan Police and of 222 Cliftonville Road. House and Funeral private, from their son-in-laws residence, 58 Wellesley Avenue. Very deeply regretted by her sorrowing daughters and son-in-law. In heavenly love abiding.”
A Burglary recalled in 1907 in Dublin, where Constable Sloan caught the Burglar hiding in the premises.:
Evening Irish Times, 17th September 1907:
“CHARGE OF BURGLARY
In the Southern Police Court yesterday, before Mr Drury, John Kenna, aged 20, without fixed residence or occupation, was charged by Police Constable Sloan 151B, with having between 10 and 12pm, on the previous night, burglariously entered the publichouse, 4 Cors Hill, which was also the residence of the Proprietor, Mr Myles Galvin.
Mr Tobias prosecuted.
Constable Sloan, 151B, gave evidence and stated the he had been called into the place by Mr Galvin, and that he found the wicket of the hall door had been forced open with a brass instrument, which witness found inside and that the prisoner must have climbed up the door which lead from the hall to the shop, entering through the fanlight, which had been forced open.
Witness found the prisoner concealed on the premises, and in possession of the cash box, which contained £2 5s.
Mr Galvin deposed that having heard a noise in the shop he came downstairs, and noticed that the side door leading into the shop had been forced open.
He missed the cash box, and when he went to look for it he found the prisoner lying concealed under the seat in the snug.
Constable Sloan said that the prisoner, when searched at College Street Station, had in his possession in one picket 19s. and in another pocket a shilling, and the prisoner said that the shilling was his own.
The prisoner was remanded.
