South Shields venue locked in legal battle over war hero medal

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South Shields Museum & Art Gallery are locked in a battle

A couple are locked in a battle with a history museum who are refusing to return a rare George Medal  after it was wrongly donated. James Annis Scott was awarded the prestigious accolade at Buckingham Palace after his heroic actions saved multiple lives when a café was bombed in his home town in South Tyneside during Second World War. The medal was proudly kept in the family for years and was meant to be passed down to James' grandchild George Scott, after both he and his eldest son George Annis Scott passed away. But instead the medal was given to South Shields Museum & Art Gallery, by George's uncle Colin, who had borrowed it, and has since died. Retired garage door business owner George, 76, fought to get the precious heirloom back but became too unwell with Parkinson's disease and now lives in a care home. His wife Lynne took over the battle and has paid over £300 on solicitors' fees in a bid to get the medal back but fears the family have hit a dead end.

James Annis Scott was awarded the prestigious accolade at Buckingham Palace after his heroic actions saved multiple lives.James Annis Scott was awarded the prestigious accolade at Buckingham Palace after his heroic actions saved multiple lives.
James Annis Scott was awarded the prestigious accolade at Buckingham Palace after his heroic actions saved multiple lives. | North News & Pictures Ltd nort

Former company manager Lynne, 71, said: "The medal was presented to my husband George's grandfather and when he died it was to go to his oldest son - who was George's father. "But he died very young at 56 and his younger brother Colin then borrowed it to take it on holiday to show some relatives. "We never got the medal back and the next thing we knew was that Colin had donated the medal to South Shields museum but he didn't have permission to do so. "George found out the museum had the medal so he went down a while ago and asked if they could show him it but they couldn't find it.

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The medal was proudly kept in the family for years and was meant to be passed down to James' grandchild George Scott, after both he and his eldest son James Jnr passed away.The medal was proudly kept in the family for years and was meant to be passed down to James' grandchild George Scott, after both he and his eldest son James Jnr passed away.
The medal was proudly kept in the family for years and was meant to be passed down to James' grandchild George Scott, after both he and his eldest son James Jnr passed away. | North News & Pictures Ltd nort

"They eventually found it and George asked if he could have it back as they didn't have it on display but they said no because it was donated by Colin. "They said Colin had signed a paper to say it could be donated and unless we had something written in a will to say it belongs to my husband then the museum would keep it." George Medals were handed out to civilians for special acts of bravery in the 20th century and were awarded for a wide range of non-military acts. Mr Scott was invited to Buckingham Palace to receive his plaque which read: "This medal was awarded to air raid warden James Scott for his outstanding bravery when South Shields was bombed on 2 October 1941. "A local cafe was destroyed and he acted as a 'human pillar' to enable survivors be rescued from the wreckage." Lynne says her husband is desperate for the medal back so he can stay in he family and be passed down to his 17-year-old grandson Noah. She added: "The museum said Colin had signed a paper which said he was the legal owner but he wasn't, and he died a couple of years ago. "My husband is the oldest son of the oldest son so he's entitled to it. "His grandfather had to go to Buckingham Palace to receive the medal so it's very special.

The medal was given to South Shields Museum & Art Gallery in South Tyneside, by George's uncle Colin, who had borrowed it, and has since died.The medal was given to South Shields Museum & Art Gallery in South Tyneside, by George's uncle Colin, who had borrowed it, and has since died.
The medal was given to South Shields Museum & Art Gallery in South Tyneside, by George's uncle Colin, who had borrowed it, and has since died. | North News & Pictures Ltd nort

"It is worth money but we're not interested in that. "George wants to give something to his grandson because his dad, my stepson, also has Parkinson's and isn't well. "I got the solicitors involved and they wrote a nice letter to the museum asking for it to be handed back but they said no as it belongs to the people of South Shields. "The solicitors said we could take it further but would mean it would need to go to court. "George often asks about it from his care home and he has never given up." A spokesperson for Tyne & Wear Archives & Museums said: "We accepted this donation to the Museum in 1994 in good faith from the son of the person who was awarded the medal and still hold the original documentation recording the donation. "When we receive gifts into the museum, we rely on the good faith of the person making the donation that they have the right to make the gift and would need proof evidencing otherwise before we could return a donation. "It is on display in South Shields Museum & Art Gallery so the people of South Tyneside can learn about the heroism of the individual, and tells a story of an important moment in the Borough's history."

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