Pair: Domestic First Class J. Sears, Royal Navy

Egypt and Sudan 1882-89, dated reverse, no clasp (J. Sears. Dom: 3.C. H.M.S. “Salamis.”); Khedive’s Star, dated 1882, unnamed as issued; together with the recipient’s Exmouth Training Ship Medal, 38mm, silver, the obverse depicting the figure of Hope standing by rocks on the seashore, mantle flowing behind, one hand raised, the other resting on an anchor, a sailing ship in the background, all enclosed by a plain band, the reverse inscribed in raised letters (name and date engraved), ‘England expects every man to do his duty, Presented to Julius Sewars on board the training ship “Exmouth” for Special Good Conduct, 18 June 1881’, with swivel ring suspension, light contact marks, nearly very fine (3) £200-£240

This lot was sold as part of a special collection, A Collection of Egypt Medals to the Royal Navy.

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Collection

Approximately 88 no clasp medals awarded to H.M.S. Salamis.

Julius Sears was born in Poplar, London, on 24 June 1864 and joined the Royal Navy as a Domestic Third Class on 21 June 1881. Posted to H.M.S. Salamis, he served in that ship until 27 December 1882, seeing active service in this ship during the Egyptian campaign of 1882. Advanced Domestic First Class on 23 April 1892, he was discharged to shore on 24 January 1895.

In 1875 the Metropolitan Asylums Board set up a Poor Law Training School and were lent the 2nd rate ship-of-the-line H.M.S. Exmouth (built in 1854) for that purpose. The ship was moored in the lower Thames at Grays, Essex, replacing H.M.S. Goliath which had been destroyed by fire in December 1875. Like similar ships, the school provided an education and nautical training for the boys in its care and prepared them for service in the Royal and Merchant Navies.