Orders, Decorations and Medals

The Trafalgar Medal awarded to Commander Hugh Entwisle, Royal Navy, for service aboard the ‘Bellerophon’, together with a fine contemporary portrait miniature
Naval General Service 1793-1840, 1 clasp, Trafalgar (Hugh Entwisle) some little nicks to rim, otherwise better than very fine; together with a fine contemporary portrait miniature of the recipient in naval uniform, oils on ivory, 75 x 60 mm, unsigned, with an old inscription in ink affixed to the reverse ‘Hugh Entwisle. Middie on board the “Victory” with Lord Nelson’, contained in ebonised frame with gilt fittings, an attractive and rare lot (2)

Hugh Entwisle was the second son of John Entwisle, of Foxholes, Rochdale, Lancashire. He entered the Navy, 7 May, 1799, as 1st class Volunteer, on board the Amethyst on the home station. While in that frigate, besides being much employed in the conveyance of royal and diplomatic personages, he assisted, as Midshipman, at the capture of three privateers, carrying 34 guns and 270 men, and witnessed the surrender on 27 January, 1801, of the French 36-gun frigate La Dédaigneuse, and on 9 April the national corvette Le Général Brune of 14 guns. In September 1805 he joined the Bellerophon, borne as an A.B., and participated at the battle of Trafalgar as a Volunteer. Bellerophon formed one of the lee division under Collingwood and bore a distinguished part in the great victory of Trafalgar, when her captain, the gallant John Cooke, was killed almost at the same time and in the same way that Lord Nelson met his death. Entwistle, at the close of the action, was sent with Lieutenant Douglas to take possession of the Bahama, a Spanish 74. It is interesting to note that he was related both to Captain Cooke, and to Mr J. E. Markland, who also served as a Volunteer on Bellerophon during the battle. He was promoted Lieutenant in 1806 and, in the Paulina, took part in the expedition to Copenhagen, 1807. In the Bucephalus, commanded by Captain G. W. H. D’Ath who had also served at Trafalgar on Bellerophon, he took part in the operations against New Orleans in 1814. He retired as Commander in 1839, becoming a D.L. and J.P. for county Glamorgan, and died in 1867.