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

Liverpool Shipwreck and Humane Society, Marine Medal, 2nd type oval medal with ‘Liver Bird’ suspension, silver, reverse inscribed, ‘Awarded to Patrick Haynes, March 1867’, additionally inscribed on edge, ‘For his noble daring in saving Captain of Achilles’, cleaned, edge bruising, very fine £500-600

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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In about 1867 the Society’s 1st type Marine Medal was replaced by a wearable silver oval medal with ‘Liver Bird’ suspension.

‘Gold Medal to Mr B. H. Loudon, second mate, R.M. steamer China, for the noble courage and skilful management he displayed in rescuing the crew of the barque Achilles, March 1867, in one of the boats manned by six volunteers from the steamer. The boat was launched with great difficulty. The sea was so high that the boat could not be laid alongside the wreck, and Mr Loudon was reduced to the expediency of getting the unfortunate men into his boat by means of lines and life-buoys, the men jumping overboard with a life-buoy attached to a rope, one end of which was on board the barque and the other end in the boat, and by this means they were hauled into it. The same method was adopted to get them on board the China, the heavy sea rendering it dangerous to approach near the steamer. The boat’s crew had each £2 awarded to them’.

‘Silver Medal to Patrick Haynes, one of the above boat’s crew (in addition to the £2), for going along the rope from the boat to the life-buoy, through the heavy sea, and cutting the line that attached the buoy to the Achilles, with which the captain was being saved, - as it was too short to allow the buoy to get away from the ship, and, as soon as the line was cut, both the captain and Haynes were hauled into the China’s boat’. (Ref. Extract from the 29th Annual Report, year ended 1st July 1868).