(Jas. Payne, Adms. Cook, H.M.S. Northumberland 24 Yrs; Hy. Tamlin, Cd. Boatmn. H.M. Coast Gd. 28 Yrs) very fine or better and scarce (2)

This lot was sold as part of a special collection, The Douglas-Morris Collection of Naval Medals.

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Only 38 engraved, narrow suspension medals are known with the recipient’s number of years service on the edge.

James Payne was born on 1 January 1833 at Bramwell, Somerset. After ten years service in the Army completed in May 1859, he joined the Royal Navy as Captain's Cook aboard H.M.S. MERSEY on 8 March 1860. He transferred to the flagship H.M.S. NILE (Rear Admiral Sir Alexander Milne) on 1 November 1862 to remain the Admiral's Cook until April 1864. In a less exalted billet he became ‘Ship’s Cook for General Mess’ aboard H.M.S. TAMAR from December 1869 until drafted on 1 June 1874 to more familiar duties aboard H.M.S. NORTHUMBERLAND with the rate of ‘Domestic 1st Class’ (as Rear Admiral Lord John Hay’s cook). On 5 July 1877 he received an equally prestigious draft when sent to join H.M.Royal Yacht OSBORNE on 5 July 1877 as ‘Ship's Cook’ remaining there until at his own request discharged to shore as a pensioner on 30 September 1886 with 35 years service - of which two years under the age of eighteen served with the Army was unusually allowed to count. He received his Long Service and Good Conduct medal on 15 July 1875 and is also entitled to the Ashantee War medal without clasp for his service aboard TAMAR.

Henry Tamlin was born at Millbrook, Cornwall on 11 April 1827. He joined the service as a Boy 1st Class aboard H.M.S. INCONSTANT on 24 October 1846 receiving advancement to Able Seaman in July 1850. After serving a Commission aboard H.M.S. CUMBERLAND (1851-54) with his last few months aboard in Baltic waters, for which he is entitled to the medal. He joined H.M.S. MONARCH as Coxswain of Cutter on 28 October 1854, and joined the Coast Guard Service as a Boatman on 13 June 1858, but took twelve years to achieve advancement to Commissioned Boatman. He received his Long Service and Good Conduct medal on 1 May 1875 and was pensioned with 28 years total service on 30 June 1875.