China 1842 (A. H. Ingram, Lieutenant, H.M.S. Blonde) fitted with replacement rings for suspension, very fine £600-800

This lot was sold as part of a special collection, The Collection of Medals formed by the late Alan Wolfe.

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Augustus Henry Ingram was born in 1805 and entered the Navy as a Volunteer 1st Class aboard the Atholl on 13 February 1821. According to his own statement of service he ‘served 14 years and 11 months as Volunteer 1st Class, Midshipman and Mate, 6 years and 5 months of which were passed on the N. America and W. India stations - 3 years in Flagship at Cove of Cork, during which time I was 1st Mate of the Cutters Netley and Speedy (tenders to Semiramis) cruizing for the prevention of smuggling, and also lent to H.M. Brig Pucris cruizing for the same purpose - 2 years 4 months in Orestes on Coast of Ireland, and in the River Douro during the Civil War between Don Miguel and Don Pedro - I year 3 months in Excellent Gunnery Ship - 1 year 11 months as Gunnery Mate in Dublin, Flagship of Sir Graham E. Hamond on the S. America station.’

Promoted to Lieutenant on 10 January 1837, Ingram spent a further 1 year 4 months in the Dublin on the S. America station, and for the next 10 months was Lieutenant of Hercules, carrying troops from Barbados to Halifax. On 29 November 1839 he joined the Blonde on the China station, under Captain Thomas Bourchier. He was rewarded with a Commander’s commission for his conduct at the taking of Canton where, during the operations of March, he had been employed in the ship’s boats. Upon promotion to Commander, Ingram was discharged from Blonde at Chinghai, and came home in H.M.S. Larne, and anchored at Spithead on 19 June 1842.

From 5 November 1846 to 14 January 1848, Ingram was in command of the Birkenhead steam frigate, during which time, on 30 August 1847, the ‘Board approved the skill, persevering zeal and good conduct of the crew of the Birkenhead in recovering the Great Britain. In March 1848 he was appointed Inspecting Commander of Coast Guard and, in January 1856, was promoted to Captain on the Reserved List. He thereafter received promotion on the Retired List to Rear Admiral in January 1875, to Vice Admiral in June 1879, and to Admiral on 31 March 1885. Admiral Ingram died on 5 October 1888.