A very early Arsenal medal: a silver & enamel Woolwich Arsenal Football & Athletic Company Ltd., 1894, medal awarded to R. Gage, hallmarked 1892, name

A very early Arsenal medal: a silver & enamel Woolwich Arsenal Football & Athletic Company Ltd., 1894, medal awarded to R. Gage, hallmarked 1892, named to the reverse The named individual on the medal is believed to be Theodore Richard Gage (1874-1940), although generally recorded in census returns as Richard Gage. The Gage family lived in Herbert Road, Plumstead, quite close to the Manor Ground. Arsenal did have a Director called Tom Gage who was elected to the board on 12th June 1897 but died six months later at the age of 28. These two gentlemen could well have been related. There is no record of a Gage ever being on the playing staff. It is unknown why Richard Gage received this medal from Woolwich Arsenal but the date coincides with the period when the club were forced to create a limited liability company in order to re-purchase the Manor Ground after they were forced to leave the Invicta due to a greedy landlord trying to cash in on their rapidly growing popularity. The objective was to raise ?4,000 of capital through a share issue which was supported by 860 people, many just locals and supporters. Although Gage himself is not listed on the list of original shareholders, it is plausible that he volunteered vital help and support during this difficult time for the club, and that this was recognised by the issue of the present medal. We will perhaps never know for sure but it is indisputably a very early example of an Arsenal FC medal.