Shipwrecked Fishermen and Mariners Royal Benevolent Society, 3rd type, silver (John Keefe, 1875) ‘double dolphin’ suspension, suspension slack, good very fine £250-300

This lot was sold as part of a special collection, The Collection of Life Saving Awards formed by The Late W.H. Fevyer.

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Ref. Spink Exhibition 1985, No. 92.

S.F.M.R.B.S. Records:

‘Sargent, R.W., Second Officer, SS Indiana; and the crew of the lifeboat: Finn, John; Keefe, John; Williams, John; Hendrickson, Charles; Power, Matthew; and Corif, Mike’.

‘The crew of the lifeboat of the SS Indiana of the American line, when on the 3rd of December 1874, in the Atlantic, and during a heavy sea, and the ship rolling heavily, they proceeded to the rescue of ten of the crew of the Avena of Sligo, which was dismasted, with seven feet of water in her hold; and were instrumental in saving the lives of all, although the lifeboat was swamped alongside before she could be hoisted in. It appears that the Avena was passed three hours before the Indiana hove in sight by a large steamship, the sea running too high for her to render assistance’.

‘The Society's framed testimonial was presented to Captain Jas. T. Morse, for his judicious and seamanlike conduct. The presentations were made on the 8th of June, on board the Indiana, at Liverpool by the United States Consul, General Lucius Fairchild’.

Sold with copied research.