Orders, Decorations and Medals

A rare Liverpool Shipwreck and Humane Society Medal and Bar, New York Life Saving Association pair awarded to Captain T. J. Jones, onetime Royal Naval Reserve

Liverpool Shipwreck and Humane Society, Marine Medal, 3rd type, silver, with Second Award Bar, this officially inscribed ‘Barque “Rialto”, 14 Rescued, 10 Feb. 1895’ (Capt. Thomas J. Jones, S.S. “Cufic”, for Having Rescued the Crew of the “John M. Price”, Feb. 23 1893), in its fitted Elkington case of issue; New York Life Saving Benevolent Association Medal, gold, by G. H. Lovett, and probably on behalf of Tiffany & Co., 51mm., obverse, shipwreck scene, reverse, official inscription, ‘Presented to Thomas J. Jones, Commander of Steamship “Tauric” in Recognition of His Humanity and Able Seamanship in the Rescue of Fourteen Persons from the Foundering Ship “Rialto” in Mid-Atlantic Ocean, February 10th 1895’, occasional edge bruising, otherwise good very fine and better (2) £1400-1800

It is believed that some of those rescued by the steamship Tauric, apparently a vessel of the White Star line, in February 1895, were gold miners bound for Southern Australia. As reported by The Times on 15 March 1895, following a recent meeting of the Liverpool Shipwreck and Humane Society, ‘A silver clasp to his Medal and a Vote of Thanks was awarded to Captain Jones, R.N.R., of the steamer Tauric’; also see Lot 848 for other family awards.