Three: Able Seaman T. Poulton, Royal Navy

Egypt and Sudan 1882-89, dated reverse, no clasp (A.B., H.M.S. “Agincourt”); India General Service 1854-95, 1 clasp, Burma 1885-7 (A.B., H.M.S. Woodlark); Khedive’s Star 1882, unnamed, mounted for display, some contact marks, nearly very fine (3) £280-320

Thomas Poulton was born on 27 January 1857 at Marylebone, Middlesex. He joined the Royal Navy as a Boy 2nd Class on 8 January 1875 and attained the rank of Able Seaman on 27 July 1879. He served aboard the iron screw battleship Agincourt from 6 April 1881 to 30 September 1883, during which time he qualified for his Egypt medals and was aboard the wooden screw gunvessel Woodlark (his last seagoing draft) from 24 February 1884 to 12 November 1886. The Woodlark was the only British ship at Rangoon in October 1885 when the troubles in Burma began. Men from the ship and others formed a Naval Brigade under the command of Captain Clutterbuck which, on 25 November 1885, marched to and took over King Thebaw’s royal palace. A total of 62 clasps were awarded to the Woodlark. Poulton was discharged as time expired on 27 January 1887. His service paper (copy with lot) indicates he was not the fleet’s most well behaved rating, recording as it does five periods in the cells and 21 days hard labour in Lewes Gaol!