The medals of 3rd Earl Spencer and former Northampton Town FC manager will go under the hammer

Above: 3rd Earl Spencer’s silver medal. Below: Two of John Jennings’ medals when he was part of an FA XI team against Canada in 1931. Photos: Dix Noonan Webb

Medals from 3rd Earl Spencer and a former Northampton Town Football Club coach will be auctioned next week.

The previous possessions of John Spencer (1782-1845) and John Jennings (1902-97) are among the items that Dix Noonan Webb will bring under the hammer on Wednesday and Thursday (June 2nd and 3rd).

Known as Honest Jack Althorp for his reputation for integrity, the Earl owned an unusually shaped silver relic with a racehorse and ‘Northampton’ in the capitals on top on one side and ‘Ld Spencer’ on the other.

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More football medals from John Jennings. Photo: Dix Noonan Webb

During his football career, the former Cobblers coach received several awards, including coaching the British football team at the 1952, 1956 and 1960 Olympics.

Peter Preston-Morley, Coin Manager at London-based Auctioneers, said: “Earl Spencer loved the lawn and the horses from an early age.

“Racing meetings were unofficially held at Northampton Heath in the 17th century, but regulated by Earl Spencer in the late 1730s, and the first official meeting took place in 1737.

“In 1844 new grandstands were built, but before that the racetrack had the dubious reputation of being used for public executions.

More football medals from John Jennings. Photo: Dix Noonan Webb

“The race was stopped in 1904 after a fatal accident involving spectators.”

Earl Spencer served in successive MPs for Okehampton, St. Albans and Northamptonshire from 1804 to 1804 and was Chairman of the House of Commons and Chancellor of the Exchequer from 1830 to 1844.

He is considered by many to be the architect of the struggle to get the Reform Act passed in 1832 and is described as “the most decent man to ever hold high government office”.

Honest Jack entered the House of Lords in 1834 and became the first President of the Royal Agricultural Society in 1838.

His medal is being sold as part of a deceased estate, not by the Spencer family, and is expected to fetch between £ 800 and £ 1,000.

Mr Jennings’ football career included spells at Wigan Athletic, Cardiff City, Middlesbrough, Preston North End and Bradford City before becoming a coach at Northampton Town.

The Wigan-born trainer also worked as a railroad firefighter – his medals are sold by private vendors and have an estimate of £ 1,500 to £ 2,000.

The two-day sale includes a total of 950 lots, including several awards and items related to sports and photography.

You can find free online bids at dnw.co.uk. For more information, call 020 7016 1700.