Naval General Service 1793-1840, 3 clasps, 1 June 1794, St. Vincent, Trafalgar (William Hodge.) suspension a little slack, edge bruising and contact marks, therefore nearly very fine £8000-10000

William Hodge is confirmed as a Captain’s Servant aboard H.M.S. Alfred at the Glorious First of June 1794, as a Boy aboard H.M.S. Blenheim at St Vincent, and in the same rate aboard H.M.S. Prince at Trafalgar. Only 3 medals issued with this combination of clasps.

William Hodge was born at Chatham, circa 1781, and joined H.M.S. Alfred as a Captain’s Servant on 3 October 1792, aged 11, being present at the ‘Glorious First of June’ 1794, before moving to Blenheim on 13 November 1794, now rated as a Boy 3rd Class. He was present in Blenheim at the battle of St Vincent, 14 February 1797, and remained in her until paid off, when he joined H.M.S. Prince at Plymouth on 13 April 1797. He served in Prince until 1807, taking part in the battle of Trafalgar, 21 October 1805, under Captain Richard Grindall. In 1827 William Hodge applied to be an In-Pensioner at Greenwich Hospital but his application was turned down. In the 1851 Census he is shown as living at Albert Place, Greenwich as an Out-Pensioner, and in the 1861 Census he is shown as an In-Pensioner (Boarder), paying rent for his lodging at Greenwich Hospital, until his death in the third quarter of 1866. Sold with comprehensive research.