Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

Lloyd’s Medal for Saving Life at Sea, 1st large type bronze medallion, 73mm. (Thomas Sinclair, Seaman of Her Majesty’s Mail Packet, Widgeon, 30th March 1842) unmounted, minor edge bruising, good very fine £250-300

This lot was sold as part of a special collection, A fine Collection of Life Saving Awards.

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A letter to the The Times, dated 12 March 1842 provides details of the rescue and the attendant difficulties encountered:

‘Shipwreck off Calais - Gallant Conduct of the crew of Her Majesty’s Ship Widgeon’ ‘Sir- On the 9th inst., about 8 or 9 o’clock p.m., a heavy storm arose, and in the offing this morning was discovered a brig, with all her sails in shivers. About 11 o’clock a.m. today, she let go her anchor to the eastward of the pier, about a mile from shore, a most tremendously heavy sea running. About 3 o’clock the life-boat of this place was after great persuasion, and after a reward of 50s, was offered, sent to the assistance of the vessel. From some great mismanagement on the part of the French authorities the launch was not effected. At half-past 6 o’clock the vessel in the mean time cut away her anchors, hoping to drift ashore. She struck, and no further attempt was made by the French. The tide was coming in, and the sea breaking over her. The cries for help of the unfortunate crew were dreadful. She was within a quarter of a mile at that time of land. The French to their disgrace, in every way opposed all succour. At half-past 7 o’clock p.m., Mr Slater, second master of the Widgeon steam-packet of Dover, with a crew of six men, five of whom were of the Widgeon, with the assistance of Lieutenant Scriven, Commander, procured from the Harbour-Master, after two applications and immense difficulty, a boat belonging to the Humane Society, and then only upon Mr Slater guaranteeing the payment of any damage that might occur ..... They started from the westward, and had to pass the head of both piers, a very dangerous service even in mild weather, it took them half an hour to get through the bar, and but for the gallant intrepidity and dexterity of this noble officer and his crew, they must have been all lost. Two hours elapsed before they succeeded in their gallant enterprise, they reached the vessel and saved from a watery grave seven human beings, 10 minutes more and every soul must have perished. The brig was the Minerva of Jersey, bound from Sunderland, the master William Perry, laden with coal, tonnage 163. .... As an Englishman, I feel called upon to say a few words to the evident want of humanity and feeling evinced by the French authorities, a more cowardly callous system I never before witnessed. Two English gentlemen, at 3 o’clock, offered them £50 for the boat, and they refused the loan of it, as it belonged to the Humane Society. And why! because the boat was to be manned by Englishmen. They absolutely turned the men out of the boat! Some considerable time afterwards she was manned by six young men, principally boys - six rowers only! Instead of putting her head close to the pier, they launched her in the middle of the breakers, after half an hour’s vain and foolish attempt they gave it up, and returned the boat .... The crew of the vessel were left to their miserable fate ... The Humane Society instead of procuring another boat, were dressing themselves to go to the theatre. But for the immense and meritorious exertions of Mr Slater (who went twice to the harbour master to procure the boat they embarked in, and he would not then give up the key of the boat house unless assured of being paid for any damage it might receive) these poor fellows would now have been corpses and their wives and families destitute. ....I hope and trust that the Lord of the Admiralty will not lose sight of the service that has been performed by Mr Slater, of the Widgeon, for I find it is not the first time this active young officer has evinced it. The names of those brave men who manned the life-boat are Richard Canney, quartermaster, Thomas Sinclair, Thomas Lawrence, Watkin Edwards and Daniel Trim, able bodied, all of the Widgeon and Nicholson of the Frederick, of Sunderland, a collier, a young man whose intrepidity and gallant conduct throughout ought to meet with a higher reward. .... A more gallant action since the time of Grace Darling, I believe, has not been performed and I sincerely hope that the gallant men to whom so much credit is due will be handsomely rewarded. The well conducted portion of the French here, are disgusted with the pusillanimity evinced by their countrymen, and well may they be.’

The Times of 30 March 1842 recorded that the Lords of Admiralty authorised the payment of £5 to each of the seaman engaged under the direction of Mr Slater at the rescue; that the Municipal Council of Calais voted Mr Slater a silver cup, worth 300F and that the Humane Society of Calais had applied to the General Shipwreck Society for a gold medal to be awarded to Mr Slater; silver ones to the English sailors involved, gold medals to the pilots and silver ones to the French sailors who made an unsuccessful rescue attempt. With copied Times extracts.