Life Saving, Police and Fire Brigade Medals from the James N Spencer Collection

Shipwrecked Fishermen and Mariners Royal Benevolent Society, silver, by Stokes, Birmingham (Capt. H. J. J. Wise, S.S. “Ontario”, 8 March 1897) with double-dolphin suspension, silver buckle on ribbon, in case of issue, good very fine £200-250

This lot was sold as part of a special collection, Life Saving, Police and Fire Brigade Medals from the James N Spencer Collection.

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Ex D. J. Denham Collection, Sotheby’s 23 June 1971, lot 334 (part).

‘The examination on oath of Captain D. Morgan, of the ship Androsa, of Liverpool, which sailed on October 28, 1896, with a general cargo from San Francisco for Liverpool, shows that on the morning of March 2, 1897, when Lat.46.40 degrees N., Long. 23.05 degrees W., the vessel was struck by a hurricane, and sustained severe damage, the maintopmast having subsequently to be cut away, and part of the cargo jettisoned to avoid capsizing. Both the chief and second officer were injured. The weather continued very bad, and the pumps were kept going constantly for six days. On March 6, a steamer was sighted, but, apparently did not observe the Androsa’s signals of distress. Captain Morgan proceeds to state:

“On March 8, about 8 a.m., a steamer hove in sight bound west. We hoisted the ensign up union down. The steamer came within hailing distance, and we asked to be taken off, as our ship was sinking fast, and the seas were making complete breaches over her, and we had no boats, and nothing was left even to rig a raft. We sounded the pumps before leaving, and found from 12 to 15 ft. of water in the hold. The steamer proved to be the Ontario, of Hull. Immediately they sent a lifeboat in charge of the chief officer, with six of the crew, and managed with great difficulty to get alongside our ship, and took seventeen hands on board the boat, then returned to the steamer, and, after transferring them, came back to the ship for the remaining ten, including myself and officers. In coming alongside, the boat was smashed, and it was with great difficulty that we were rescued.”’ (Extract from the Shipwrecked Fisherman and Mariners Royal Benevolent Society Annual Report 1897)

The Board of Trade presented Captain Wise of the Ontario a binocular glass, his chief officer, a binocular glass and a silver medal and the six men of the boat’s crew with a bronze medal and £2 each.

The Shipwrecked Fishermen and Mariner’s Royal Benevolent Society presented the 1897 ‘Emile Robin’ award to the officers and crew of the Ontario. The Captain being awarded a silver medal (above) and £16, the chief officer, a silver medal and £4 and the boatswain £3 and £2 each to the boat’s crew. Sold with copied research details