Police Constable Joseph Topley was born in 1884 and joined 'P' Division of the Metropolitan Police in November 1905. He was awarded the Society's Silver Medal for his gallant rescue work during a fire which broke out at "The Retreat", an old people's home in Queen's Road, Peckham, on 21.1.1921, work which was hampered by a gas explosion which left at least two Firemen disabled by coal-gas fumes. Topley, who retired on a pension of 153 in November 1930, died in February 1976, aged 92 years.