The
first issue of this medal was made in 1830 with the
obverse depicting the royal arms and small shield of the
House of Hanover surrounded by a trophy of arms. The
reverse has the inscription 'FOR LONG SERVICE AND GOOD
CONDUCT' in large letters. The suspender was
originally a steel clip with a ring but was later replaced
by a rectangular steel clip with a U shape on the lower
bar to pass through the clip that attached it to the
medal. This medal was designed by B. Pistrucci who
also designed the famous St George and Dragon.
In
1837 with the coronation of Queen Victoria the House of
Hanover Shield was removed but it was not until 1839 that
the new dies were available so the old ones were
used. The reverse remained the same (smaller letters
were used later on during the Victorian period) and the
rectangular steel suspender continued until it was
replaced by the often used scroll suspender. It is
unknown when this scroll suspender was introduced but it
would have been sometime during the 1850's.
After
the death of Queen Victoria the obverse of this medal was
changed to the ruling monarch's head. The first
issue of this type was during King Edward VII's reign and
then King George V. Both versions kept the original
reverse but with smaller letters of the later Victorian
issues. In about 1920 the scroll suspender was
altered to a non-swivelling type. By 1930 the medal
was dis-continued and replaced by the Military Long
Service and Good Conduct Medal.
