The list of recipients of the Order of Industrial Heroism (OIH) contains 440 recipients, who received awards between its inception in 1923 and dissolution in 1964.
Sometimes there were multiple awards relating to one event; six of the awards were to miners' union lodges, rather than individuals, where a large number of members had been involved in mine rescues. Only one of the solo awardees was a woman; another received one alongside three men.
Name Occupation Residence Incident date Presentation venue Presentation date Further info. 1 Dock worker Aigburth, Liverpool Liverpool Stadium 30 September 1923 Put out a fire beneath railway wagons containing picric acid, thereby preventing a major explosion. 2 Dock worker Bootle Liverpool Stadium Put out a fire beneath railway wagons containing picric acid, thereby preventing a major explosion. 3 Dock worker Bootle Liverpool Stadium Put out a fire beneath railway wagons containing picric acid, thereby preventing a major explosion. 4 Dock worker Walton, Liverpool Liverpool Stadium Put out a fire beneath railway wagons containing picric acid, thereby preventing a major explosion. 5 Fisherman Bridlington Glass Dome Spa, Bridlington Saved the crew of the Mistletoe, a motorboat which was on fire off Spurn Point. Was badly burned carrying a can of burning petrol from below decks. 6 Train driver Manchester Beswick Co-operative Hall, Longsight Brought his train to a safe stop despite being badly scalded in a boiler blow-back. Presented by George Lansbury, MP. 7 Collier (coal hewer) Burnopfield, Durham Pavilion Theatre, Burnopfield Rescued an injured miner by cerawling through a narrow gap, at South Garesfield Colliery. 8 Shipwright apprentice Pavilion, Southampton Pier For a "man overboard" rescue from ice-cold water, while working for Harland and Wolff, on Briton, a steamer. 9 Workman Llanelly Llanelly Market Hall Rescued a colleague from the collapsing roof of Llanelly Copper Works. 10 Train driver Attercliffe, Sheffield Drove his train ahead of a runaway train, gradually bringing them together and then to a stop. 11 Collier (mine deputy) Walker Borough Theatre, Wallsend Rescued two unconscious men from a gas-filled underground road at Wallsend G Pit. 12 Collier Royston Miners' Gala, Royston Rescued a man buried by an ongoing rock fall at a mine pit, despite being restricted to 'light duties' by ill health. 13 Collier Hartford Shankhouse Co-operative Hall Pulled a man away from under a falling rock, at great risk to his own life. 14 Railway fireman Forrest Gate Ewen Hall, Barnet Brought a runway High Barnet to Moorgate train safely to a halt, despite being badly burned by an engine blow-back. 15 Birtley Co-operative Hall, Birtley 16 17 Tram driver Hanley Severely injured after staying at the controls of a tram whose brakes had failed, in an effort to stop it as it ran downhill. Award presented by Ernest Bevin. 18 Colliery manager Harriseahead Kidsgrove Town Hall also received the Edward Medal. 19 Collier Mow Cop Kidsgrove Town Hall also received the Edward Medal. 20 Swansea Rescued colleagues from a flood at the Killan Colliery. 21 Collier Leigh Labour Club Award presented by Joseph Tinker, M.P. 22 23 24 Collier Dalton Casuals Hall, Dalton 25 South Kirby The Cinema, South Kirby 26 South Kirby The Cinema, South Kirby 27 Murton Colliery, Durham 28 Murton Colliery, Durham 29 Dyer and bleacher Stockport Town Hall For an attempted rescue at Marsland's bleach works. Presented by Arnold Townend MP. Also awarded the Edward Medal. 30 31 32 Dock worker 1924 "...at the age of only 16 saved his colleague from drowning as he slipped and fell into the dock" 33 34 Radcliffe Co-operative Hall, Radcliffe 35 Radcliffe Co-operative Hall, Radcliffe 36 Radcliffe Co-operative Hall, Radcliffe 37 Little Lever, Farnworth Co-operative Hall, Radcliffe 38 Hydraulic packer Barry Island Barry 18 July 1926 Presented by Albert Purcell, M.P. Also received the Edward Medal. 39 Dock labourer Barry Island Barry 18 July 1926 Presented by Albert Purcell, M.P. 40 Plumber 41 42 43 44 No. 1 Marine Lodge Union Lodge 45 Tanfield Lea Lodge Union Lodge 46 47 Collier Royston The Palace, Royston Bluer, a former professional football player, rescued a pit boy after a roof fall, working for to hours to do so despite the threat of a further fall. 48 49 West Ham Public Hall, Canning Town 21 May 1928 50 West Ham Public Hall, Canning Town 21 May 1928 51 West Ham Public Hall, Canning Town 21 May 1928 52 53 Blaengarw Workman's Hall, Blaengarw 29 January 1929 54 Blaengarw Workman's Hall, Blaengarw 29 January 1929 55 56 Railway fireman 1929 57 58 59 Collier Linton and Woodhorn Miner's Hall, Ashington 60 Railway Crane Operator. 61 South Garesfield Lodge Union Lodge 62 63 Gelliceidrim Lodge Union Lodge 64 Bus inspector Jumped from a moving bus to pull a child from in front of another bus, being injured in the process. Also served as chairman of the Sunderland Labour Party at the time."Councillor's Plucky Act", The Guardian (21 March 1930), p. 10."Councillor as Rescuer", The Guardian (28 March 1930), p. 8. 65 Painter (chargehand) Newcastle Beehive Co-op Hall, Workington 30 May 1930 Award for rescuing an unconscious colleague from high up a factory chimney. Also received the Edward Medal. 66 Painter's labourer Workington Beehive Co-op Hall, Workington 30 May 1930 Award for rescuing an unconscious colleague from high up a factory chimney. Also received the Edward Medal. 67 Llay The Flower Show at Llay 68 Llay The Flower Show at Llay 69 70 71 72 73 74 Collier Bentley Bentley For heroism in the 1931 Bentley Colliery Disaster. 75 Collier Bentley Bentley Posthumous; for heroism in the 1931 Bentley Colliery Disaster. Presented to his widow by Robert Williams of The Daily Herald. 76 Collier Bentley Bentley For heroism in the 1931 Bentley Colliery Disaster; also received the Edward Medal. 77 Colliery ambulanceman Bentley Bentley Posthumous; for heroism in the 1931 Bentley Colliery Disaster. Insisted on staying to give first aid to colleagues, despite being fatally injured by an underground explosion. 78 Llwynypia, Tonypandy Tonypandy 79 Llwynypia, Tonypandy Tonypandy 80 Tonypandy Tonypandy 81 82 Collier Saved the lives of two boys working beside him, after an explosion, despite being badly burned himself. 83 84 85 Northam Charity Hall, Southampton 86 Southampton Charity Hall, Southampton 87 88 89 90 Collier 15 June 1933 Workmen's Institute, Pengam 5 November 1933At great personal danger he rescued a fellow collier who was caught in revolving picks while cutting coal at Britannia Colliery. 91 92 Collier Garnant Public Hall, Brynamman 29 November 1933 Also received the Edward Medal. 93 Collier Brynamman Public Hall, Brynamman 29 November 1933 94 95 96 Railway guard Co-operative Hall, Carlisle Award presented by Patrick Dollan. 97 Engineer South Shields Rescued a man from inside a burning tank aboard the steamer Laurelwood, and carried him up a ladder. Sustained burns in the process. 98 99 Garston Winter Gardens, Garston 100 Garston Winter Gardens, Garston 101 Garston Winter Gardens, Garston 102 Garston Winter Gardens, Garston 103 Garston Winter Gardens, Garston 104 Brewery worker Sutton's Dwellings, Newcastle Entered an ammonia-filled room in an attempt to rescue a colleague. 105 106 107 108 109 110 Canton, Cardiff Cardiff Transport Hall 111 Cardiff Cardiff Transport Hall 112 Llantrisant Cardiff Transport Hall 113 114 Grappenhall Grappenhall Ex-Serviceman's Hall 115 Warrington Grappenhall Ex-Serviceman's Hall 116 117 Plater's helper Alexandra Hall, Cowes For a "man overboard" rescue, on the estuary of the River Medina. 118 Lorry driver Had both legs amputated and was burned after he selflessly crashed his vehicle to avoid hitting a car which had pulled out in front of him. 119 120 121 122 123 Withington, Manchester Beswick Co-op Socierty, Levenshulme 124 Cheadle, Manchester Beswick Co-op Society, Levenshulme 125 London Public Hall, Canning Town 126 London Public Hall, Canning Town 127 Furnaceman Port Talbot Port Talbot Rescued two colleagues from inside a gas-filled blast furnace. 128 129 130 131 132 133 134 135 Walkden Walkden Town Hall 12 February 1940 136 Walkden Walkden Town Hall 137 138 139 140 141 142 143 Postman For rescuing children from a bomb-damaged house 144 Seaman Speke Dived fully clothed into Stalbridge Dock, to rescue a colleague. Also commended for a second rescue. Award presented by the Lord Mayor of Liverpool, Alderman Sir Sydney Jones. 145 Rescued men from the hold of a bombed ship in an unspecified Welsh port. Had also been a prisoner of war in World War I. 146 147 148 Channel Dry Docks, Cardiff 24 October 1941 149 Channel Dry Docks, Cardiff 24 October 1941 150 151 152 Barking, London Baths Hall, East Street, Barking 20 September 1932 153 Ilford Baths Hall, East Street, Barking 20 September 1932 154 Salford Salford Central Mission 18 November 1943 155 Salford Salford Central Mission 18 November 1943 156 157 158 Ironstone miner Known as "Abe"; also received the British Empire Medal. 159 Collier April 1943 NUM's Office, Barnsley 160 Collier April 1943 NUM's Office, Barnsley 161 Collier April 1943 NUM's Office, Barnsley 162 Collier April 1943 NUM's Office, Barnsley 163 Collier April 1943 NUM's Office, Barnsley 164 Train driver Hippodrome, March, Cambridgeshire Also received George Cross and LNER Silver medal for Courage and Resource. Medals now in the March & District Museum. 165 Railway fireman Hippodrome, March, Cambridgeshire Posthumous. Also received George Cross and LNER Silver medal for Courage and Resource 166 Cross Keys Hotel, near Barnsley 167 Cross Keys Hotel, near Barnsley 168 Cross Keys Hotel, nr. Barnsley 169 Cross Keys Hotel, near Barnsley 170 171 Railway fireman Also received the George Medal. 172 Train driver 173 Colliery under-manager Birtley Miner's Welfare Hall, Birtley 174 Collier Birtley Miner's Welfare Hall, Birtley 175 Middlesbrough Union Council, Middlesbrough 176 Union Council, Middlesbrough 177 Union Council, Middlesbrough 178 Union Council, Middlesbrough 179 "For his gallant attempts to save life... during a factory explosion in Widnes" 180 Langley Park The King's Cinema, Langley Park Rescued a miner who had been overcome by gas, at Langley Park Mine. 181 The King's Cinema, Langley Park Rescued a miner who had been overcome by gas, at Langley Park Mine. 182 183 184 Mansfield Co-operative Hall, Nottingham 185 Mansfield Co-operative Hall, Nottingham 186 187 Nurse Cane Hill Mental Hospital June 1948 County Hall, Westminster Rescued a patient who had climbed up onto the sloped roof of his ward in the dark from a drop, a "calculated act of bravery". Medal presented by Mary Ormerod, chairman of the LCC Mental Hospitals Committee. 188 Nurse Cane Hill Mental Hospital June 1948 County Hall, Westminster Rescued a patient who had climbed up onto the sloped roof of his ward in the dark from a drop, a "calculated act of bravery". Medal presented by Mary Ormerod, chairman of the LCC Mental Hospitals Committee. 189 190 Train driver (London tube) Saved a child who was lying under the live rail in front of his train. 191 17 April 1948 18 November 1948"a brave man who in a moment of peril thought more of others than himself"