Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

The scarce Second China War C.B. pair awarded to Lieutenant-General Franklin Dunlop, Royal Artillery, who commanded the Troops in China from the breaking out of hostilities in 1856 to the end of April 1857; in January 1857 he suffered severely from the attempt by the Chinese to poison the inhabitants of Hong Kong by mixing arsenic mixed with the bread sold on 16 January; he nevertheless recovered to command the Artillery at the capture of Canton in December 1857

The Most Honourable Order of the Bath, 22 carat gold breast badge, hallmarked London 1857, maker’s mark ‘WN’ for William Neale, complete with gold swivel-ring bar suspension, gold three-pronged ribbon buckle, and gold three-pronged top brooch buckle; China 1857-60, 1 clasp, Canton 1857 (Coll. Frankiln Dunlop C.B. Royal Arty.) officially impressed naming, nearly extremely fine (2) £4,000-£5,000

This lot was sold as part of a special collection, The Simon C. Marriage Collection of Medals to the Artillery.

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Franklin Dunlop was born at Onchan, Isle of Man, on 17 February 1812, and choosing a military career was appointed Gentleman Cadet on 30 January 1827. He joined the Army on 18 December 1829, as Second Lieutenant, and some three months later was gazetted First Lieutenant to the 5th Battalion, Royal Artillery. Having been made Captain in the 7th Battalion on 23 November 1841, he became Lieutenant-Colonel on 20 June 1854, and full Colonel exactly three years later. On the latter date he had never been on half-pay, but in continuous active service; and now came his chance for distinction. When trouble arose in the Far East, Colonel Dunlop was placed in charge of the troops in China, from the breaking out of hostilities in 1856 to the end of April 1857. In January 1857, he suffered severely from an attempt made by the Chinese to poison the inhabitants of Hong Kong by mixing arsenic with the bread sold on 10 January. At the capture of Canton in December 1857, Colonel Dunlop commanded the Artillery, and was awarded a C.B. and the China medal with clasp for his services.

Colonel Dunlop's next appointment was to the command of the artillery forces in Canada, as Colonel on staff with headquarters at Montreal. The date of this promotion was 31 December 1861; he had become a full Colonel on 26 October 1858, and had passed the staff college. He vacated the appointment in 1857, and retired with full pay on his promotion to Major-General on 2 February 1868. Less than three months afterwards - on the 23rd April - he received the honorary rank of Lieutenant-General. His good service pension of £90 per annum, dated 23 March 1861, had been increased to £100 per annum on 12 May 1866.

General Dunlop died on 24 April 1887 at his residence ‘Sunnyside’, in the village of Holmwood, near Dorking.