Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

Indian Mutiny 1857-59, no clasp (Benjn. Kennett, Ord. Pearl.) minor edge nick, good very fine £700-£900

Benjamin Kennett was born at Ramsgate, Kent, around 1842, and served as Ordinary Seaman aboard the 21-gun screw corvette H.M.S. Pearl. Despatched from Hong Kong to Calcutta in July 1857 upon receiving news of the rebellion, the crew of the Pearl were first engaged in rescuing the crew of the transport H.M.S. Transit which was wrecked off Bangka Island, Sumatra. Arriving safely in India on 11 September 1857, her 175 officers and men proceeded to form the Pearl Naval Brigade under the command of Pearl’s Captain, Edward Southwell Sotheby.

The Brigade engaged in numerous actions against the rebel forces, most notably contributing to the campaign which resulted in the Relief of Lucknow. Deploying mostly rifle companies, the Pearl Naval Brigade fought alongside a similar Brigade formed from the crew of H.M.S. Shannon, which was led by William Peel, son of the Prime Minister Sir Robert Peel, and a Victoria Cross recipient himself.

For their role in suppressing the Indian uprising, Sotheby and the Pearl Naval Brigade were mentioned in despatches on 13 occasions relating to the operations in Oudh, and received thanks of the Governor-General of India and of both Houses of Parliament; Sotheby was further made Companion of the Order of the Bath, appointed an extra aide-de-camp to Queen Victoria, and ended his career as Admiral.

Sold with an extensive file of copied research, noting possible service in the 1860s aboard the brig Frederick Huth and later service as Master Mariner and Captain of the S.S. Canto, whilst living at Dartford on the bank of the River Thames.