POLICE CONSTABLE W.R. SOMERVILLE, DUBLIN METROPOLITAN POLICE. Two: Visit to Ireland Medal,

POLICE CONSTABLE W.R. SOMERVILLE, DUBLIN METROPOLITAN POLICE. Two: Visit to Ireland Medal, Victoria, 1900 (officially engraved: P.C. W.R. SOMERVILLE. D.M.P.) Visit to Ireland Medal, George V, 1911 (unnamed, as issued). 1900 medal with its original shamrock top suspender and 1911 medal with its original plain top brooch suspender, generally Good Very Fine to Extremely Fine.

Medal accompanied by copied extract 1911 census return and map of the Dublin Metropolitan Police districts.

William Robert Somerville was born in 1893 (baptised 7/4/1873) in the parish of Carnteel, Ballygawley, Co. Tyrone. He joined the Dublin Metropolitan Police on 5/5/1893. At the time of enlistment he was 20 years of age, stood some 5 feet 10 inches tall, stated that he was a Presbyterian and gave his trade as that of farmer. Somerville was recommended for the Dublin Metropolitan Police by J.S. Jervan J.P. He saw service with E Division from 5/5/1893, C Division from 21/5/1897 and was pensioned on 12/6/1921. Somerville is recorded in the 1911 census as a 37 year old DMP Police Constable, resident in Richmond Avenue, Clontarf, Dublin with his 22 year old wife. Also resident in the Somerville household were a 53 year old army pensioner, William Eaves, his wife and their two children.

Constable Somerville was also entitled to the 1903 Visit to Ireland Medal.

Royal Visit Medals awarded to the Dublin Metropolitan Police are considerably scarcer than those awarded to the Royal Irish Constabulary, the DMP having a total strength of approximately 1,200 officers and men at the time of the Royal Visits of 1900, 1903 and 1911, whereas the RIC was composed of approximately 9,800 officers and men in each of those years.