Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria. To coincide with the OMRS Convention

Royal National Institute for the Preservation of Life from Shipwreck, G.IV.R., silver (Lunt. William Parsons, R.N. Voted 6th Jany. 1853) nearly very fine £300-350

This lot was sold as part of a special collection, Awards to Civilians from the Collection of John Tamplin.

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R.N.L.I. Silver Medal voted 6 January 1853: Lieutenant Thomas (sic) Parsons, R.N., H.M. Coastguard, Bournemouth. 27 December 1852. During a heavy south to south-east gale, the Poole barque William Glenanderson, inward bound from Quebec, Canada, came on shore at Boscombe. Lieutenant Parsons put out in the Coastguard galley with four men and saved the barque’s crew of eight. A boat, from Sir Percy Shelley‘s yacht, which was also taking part, capsized, but the Coastguard galley saved four of the five persons on board.

There is some confusion as to this officer’s Christian name. There was, indeed, a William Parsons who received a Silver Medal, but he was ‘Voted’ on 9 January 1839, for a rescue in April 1838. The most likely recipient of this medal would seem to be Timothy Parsons (rather than Thomas, as listed in Lifeboat Gallantry), a Lieutenant R.N. of 1815. Further research might well unravel this mystery.