Eimer 1420, BHM 2285.
56mm. Silver By L.C & W. Wyon.
Obverse with bare head of Prince Albert, president of the Society, reverse with inscription within open wreath. Edge engraved 'To Mr J.C Morton, For His Paper Read Before The Society, "On The Forces Used In Agriculture". 1860.'
Good Extremely Fine and toned and housed in fitted case of issue. This is the first of the Society's President's medals and is very rare. In an order for the use of the Mint die press dated 25/08/1847, it is recorded that 52 medals were struck for the Society of Arts. The striking of a further 9 medals is also noted in the same memo (although via the BHM footnote it is unclear if this refers to the same medal), meaning a maximum possible mintage of 61 medals.
John Chalmers Morton (1821–1888) was a Scottish agriculturist and writer.
He was educated at Merchistoun Castle School, Edinburgh, under his uncle Charles Chalmers. He then attended university lectures, took the first prize for mathematics, and was a student in David Low's agricultural classes.
In 1838 Morton went to assist his father on the Whitfield Example Farm, and shortly joined the newly formed Royal Agricultural Society. He became editor of the Agricultural Gazette on its foundation in 1844; it took him to London, and the post continued for the rest of his life.
When David Low retired in 1854 from his chair at Edinburgh, Morton ran the classes till the appointment of John Wilson. He was inspector under the land commissioners, and also served for six years (1868–74) with Edward Frankland and Sir William Denison on the Royal Commission on pollution of rivers. The commission heard his concerns on abattoir waste.
Morton published various books on the subject of agriculture, one of which was 'The Prince Consort's Farms; An Agricultural Memoir' in 1863. Permission for the book was granted by Queen Victoria, to whom the book is personally dedicated, suggesting that Morton was directly involved with the Royal Family and the work that Prince Albert was trying to do with regards to the transformation of the Royal farms.
Morton died at his Harrow residence on 3 May 1888.