British and World Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

Board of Trade Medal for Gallantry in Saving Life at Sea, V.R., large, silver (William Tindall, Loss of the Scarborough Life Boat, 2nd Novr. 1861) unmounted, minor marks, otherwise nearly extremely fine and a rare posthumous award £600-800

Ex Robert W. Tilling Collection (Ref. L.S.A.R.S. Journal No. 18, p.30-31).

William Tindall of Scarborough was posthumously awarded the Board of Trade Medal for Saving Life at Sea in Silver and the R.N.L.I. Medal in Silver for giving his life in the attempt to rescue the crew of the Scarborough lifeboat Amelia that was dashed against sea wall whilst attempting to rescue men from the stricken schooner Coupland. Two men, John Burton and Thomas Brewster were washed out of the lifeboat and drowned. Of the several men on shore who rushed to provide aid when the lifeboat got into trouble, Lord Beauclerk, William Tindall and John Iles perished in the attempt.

The Amelia, the first R.N.L.I. lifeboat to be stationed at Scarborough, was wrecked on its maiden rescue operation- a drama played out before big crowds on the Spa and cliffs above. A number of artists recorded the scenes, and this sea-drama became one of the best-known lifeboat operations ever off Scarborough. Prints and postcards of it sold in vast numbers for many years afterwards. The R.N.L.I. took control of the Scarborough station in 1861 and its first R.N.L.I. lifeboat had only been on station for five weeks when the drama happened, on the afternoon of Saturday 2 November that year.

‘2 November 1861: The South Shields schooner Coupland, laden with granite from Aberdeen, was totally wrecked in the late afternoon during a hurricane near Scarborough Pier, Yorkshire. Trying to enter the harbour she was taken aback, her sails disabled and, eventually, she struck on the rocks opposite the Spa, some 30 yards from the sea wall amid huge cataracts of water. The self righting lifeboat Amelia (R.N.L.I.) had been manned and set out for the casualty. She was thrown against the wall a number of times, two of her crew were killed and others were thrown out. A rope was thrown from the promenade and then secured. The lifeboat was pulled through the surf to a landing place where members of the public rushed forward to help, but successive waves knocked them over and some were killed. Lord Beauclerk, prominent among them, died after being swept to the base of a nearby cliff in spite of Mr Sarony and Mr Rutter getting a line around him and pulling him out of the water. The lifeboat, meanwhile, had suffered a heavy battering and was rendered useless; Mr Tindall’s body was found underneath it. Messrs Iles and Hicks also played leading parts in the rescue attempts. The schooner’s crew of six were all rescued by rocket apparatus.’ (Ref. Lifeboat Gallantry, by Barry Cox).

For the rescue the Board of Trade Medal for Gallantry in silver was given to Lord Charles Beauclerk; William Tindall; Oliver Sarony; Joseph Rutter; Michael Hick and Francis Chiesa; the medal in bronze was given to Simpson Rawling and Charles Lacy.

The R.N.L.I. awarded silver medals to Lord Charles Beauclerk; William Tindall; Oliver Sarony; Joseph Rutter; Michael Hick and John Iles. In addition the Board of Trade made monetary awards to the bronze medal recipients, to some others who assisted and to some of the next of kin of those who died.

See also L.S.A.R.S. Journal No. 51, p.18-26 for a full account of the action.