The Collection of Life Saving Awards formed by The Late W.H. Fevyer

A rare R.N.I.P.L.S. Medal in gold awarded to The Reverend James Williams of Llanfairynghornwy, Anglesey, who rode his horse out into the surf during rescue operations at Cemaes Bay, Anglesey, 1835

Royal National Institute for the Preservation of Life from Shipwreck, G.IV.R., gold (Revd. James Williams. Voted 7 Octr. 1835) fitted within a thin gold frame bearing the naming details and loop for ring suspension, some edge bruising and contact marks, very fine, rare £2000-2400

This lot was sold as part of a special collection, The Collection of Life Saving Awards formed by The Late W.H. Fevyer.

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Ref. Spink Exhibition 1985, No. 52; Sotheby ‘Rule, Britannia!’ Exhibition 1986, No. 330.

In the minutes of the Committee of Management, 7 October 1835, it was resolved to award the Rev. James Williams the gold medal of the institution, firstly for his valuable invention of the self-inflating life-buoy; secondly for services at the wreck of the Active at Cemaes Bay (see below), and thirdly for his services at the wreck of the Sarah of Liverpool at Trecastle.

‘7 March 1835: The Belfast smack Active, anchored in Ramsey Bay, Isle of Man during a northwesterly gale, started to drag her anchors then drifted out to sea as soon as they had been hauled up. Many hours later, the smack drifted into Cemaes Bay, Anglesey, and tried to anchor but grounded a long way from the shore with every successive wave breaking over her. The Reverend Williams arrived after several unsuccessful attempts had been made to launch a boat and, ignoring the mountainous seas, rode a horse into the surf and drew near enough to throw a grappling hook over the smack’s bowsprit. They were then able to launch a boat and pull out to the wreck whose crew of five were found in the cabin, too exhausted to move. All were landed safely’ (Ref. Lifeboat Gallantry, by Barry Cox).

James Williams was born in 1790 and was a Fellow of Jesus College, Oxford. He was a curate and rector in Anglesey before becoming Chancellor of Bangor Cathedral in 1851. Witnessing, together with his wife, the loss of the sailing packet Alert and 140 lives, on West Mouse islet off Carmel Head in 1823, they were moved to raise funds to provide boats which could be used to save life. Appealing to the R.N.I.P.L.S. he successfully secured a lifeboat for Cemlyn in 1828 and an Anglesey branch of the Institution was formed later the same year. Williams was the first treasurer and later, secretary of the county branch of the Lifeboat Institution. The same year Williams superintended the construction of the first lifeboat built at Holyhead and he invented a messenger buoy. He was in addition personally involved in rescue operations, most noteably in the rescue of the crew of the Active (see above). The Reverend Williams died in 1872 and was buried at St. Mary’s Parish Church, Llanfairynghornwy, Anglesey. Sold with a newspaper cutting regarding the Rector and his wife and copied photographs and research.

See lot 97 for his son’s R.N.L.I. Medal.