Description:Wilcox followed down shortly after to rousing cheers from the crowd who had gathered below. His first request was for a cup of tea! Wilcox was immediately interviewed by the local papers about his deed and said: “I gained a grip on a small ledge about a foot square and tried to lift him in order to carry him down, but it was impossible. The ladder was inaccessible from where we were, I just had to give it my best and wait. The only way to escape was back down the ladder”. For Wilcox the events had not been much to fuss about and barely twenty minutes afterwards he was back at work painting a radiator on the ground floor of the offices. The rescue was also notable as it was photographed by Birmingham Post photographer Bunny Hess, who won an award for the picture.
The citation for his award of the Edward Medal was published in the London Gazette on 30th September 1949 and stated in part that: “During the period that Mr Wilcox was on the ledge with Burrows he was in considerable danger of falling had the other man kicked out or made any violent movement”. Wilcox received a cheque for £15 from the Lord Mayor of Birmingham, Hubert Humphreys, and his name was inscribed on the Illuminated Roll of heroes of the Carnegie Trustees. He received the Edward Medal (Mines) in 1950.
When the Edward medal was superseded by the George Cross in December 1971, Wilcox’s award was converted to a George Cross. He was invested with his GC by the Queen at Buckingham Palace on 20th March 1973. In total 50 holders of the Edward Medal were re-invested. Wilcox said he hadn’t expected to visit the Palace twice, “Last time I went I took two friends with me as my wife Edith had a small baby to look after. But this time she and our two daughters – Lorraine, 19 and Debbie, eight, went with me”. The Queen told him it was a great honour to have him back at the Palace and that he must have had a good head for heights.
Charles Wilcox was born on 11th May 1919 in Birmingham. He was educated at Osler Street School in Ladywood, followed by Raddlebarn Road School in Selly Oak.