A fine Collection of Life Saving Awards

Gorleston Volunteer Lifeboat Medal 1903, obverse: sailing lifeboat; reverse: ‘Christean, Oct. 14th, 1903’ (Charles Burgess) 38.5mm., bronze, complete with brooch bar, nearly extremely fine £240-280

This lot was sold as part of a special collection, A fine Collection of Life Saving Awards.

View
Collection

Ex James Spencer Collection, D.N.W. 16 December 2003

‘On Wednesday evening guns were heard from the lightships. The crew of the Elizabeth Simpson (Gorleston private volunteer lifeboat) at once mustered at the boathouse. A message had already been sent to Gorleston to tell the Institution (R.N.L.I.) not to put off as the John Burch (Yarmouth Lifeboat) was just leaving the beach. The Elizabeth Simpson was however launched and at once made for the wreck. The vessel proved to be the three-masted schooner Christean, a Swedish craft of about 141 tons from Fowey in Cornwall to Leith with a cargo of China Clay. She lay on the Cross Ridge Sand in about 3 to 4 feet of water and great difficulty was experienced by our boat in reaching her, the Elizabeth Simpson grounding 3 times and taking 3 hours to warp down to the doomed ship. Three of the crew of the Christean were drowned before the arrival of the lifeboat, they having taken to a small boat which was swamped. After about three and a half hours hard work, the Elizabeth Simpson returned to the harbour having brought in the 3 survivors of the crew of 6. .... This is indeed a splendid piece of work and for the fact of the launching of the Elizabeth Simpson we dare not think of the consequences as the Yarmouth Lifeboat was not able to reach the ship against the head wind and tide.’

All the crew of the Elizabeth Simpson involved in the rescue received a specially made medal. With some copied research.