Exceptional Naval and Polar Awards from the Collection of RC Witte

An Arctic and Baltic pair attributed to Clerk-in-Charge of Stores W. H. Richards, Royal Navy

Arctic Medal 1818-55, unnamed as issued; Baltic 1854-55, unnamed as issued, with silver riband buckle, edge nicks, very fine or better (2)
£600-700

This lot was sold as part of a special collection, Exceptional Naval and Polar Awards from the Collection of RC Witte.

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Provenance: Spink, 29 March 1994 (Lot 1014).

William Henry Richards served as a Clerk-in-Charge of Stores in H.M.S. Resolute during the Franklin Search Expedition of 1852-53, although whether he went on to qualify for the Baltic Medal is a matter of conjecture, for his brothers, Matthew and Charles Richards, and a cousin of his wife, Robert Haly, were all serving in the Royal Navy about this time - brother Charles was also an Arctic hand, serving on the Assistance in 1850-51.

William Richards later served as a Paymaster in the Bellerophon on the West Indies Station and appears to have settled in Deptford; sold with a quantity of old family notes, together with a portrait photograph of Robert Haly.