Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

South Africa 1877-79, no clasp (W. Potham. Dom: 2nd Cl: H.M.S. “Tenedos”) nearly extremely fine £460-£500

Provenance: Captain K. J. Douglas-Morris Collection, Dix Noonan Webb, October 1996.

William Potham was born in Devonport, 25 March 1848. After earning his living in civilian life as a baker, he joined the service as Captain's Cook's Assistant on 1 August 1866 aboard H.M.S. Achilles. Serving in the same function aboard his next vessel, H.M.S. Defence, a misdemeanour landed him in prison in Halifax, Nova Scotia, for a month in October 1869. After a commission aboard H.M.S. Chameleon as Domestic 2nd Class he joined H.M.S. Tenedos in March 1878 and was advanced to Domestic 1st Class in January 1879 prior to being paid off in December 1880. Potham was invalided from the service whilst aboard H.M.S. Cockatrice on 23 April 1882.