Orders, Decorations and Medals

Three: Gunner’s Mate John Farrell, Royal Navy, later Chief Boatman in the Coast Guard

China 1857-60, no clasp, unnamed as issued; New Zealand 1845-66, reverse dated 1863 to 1864 (John Farrell, Gr’s Mate, H.M.S. Esk) officially impressed naming; Royal Navy L.S. & G.C., V.R., narrow suspension (J. Farrell, Chf. Boatn. H.M. Coast Guard) impressed naming, together with his Naval officer’s sword by Stillwell & Sons, complete with leather scabbard, and sepia cabinet portrait photograph by Russell of Kirkwall of Farrell in uniform wearing medals, contact marks, otherwise toned, good very fine (4) £700-900

This lot was sold as part of a special collection, An Important Collection of Medals for the Maori Wars, 1845-1866.

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Collection

Farrell's New Zealand War medal was issued on 2 January 1871. 119 medals (16 to R.N. officers, 79 to R.N. ratings, one to R.M. officer, and 23 to R.M. N.C.Os. and men) were issued to H.M.S. Esk for the Second New Zealand War, of which 48 are known including 4 with reverses undated (all to R.N. ratings) and the rest with reverses dated 1863-1864.

John Farrell was born in 1820 at Bandon, Cork. His earlier service records have not been sought but his later record is annotated for earlier service “Traced 89/116”. He served in the Coast Guard as Commissioned Boatman, Trained Man, from 1 January 1873 on the Audacious, Newcastle, Endymion, Iron Duke, Endymion again, and finally the Audacious again from which he was Shore Pensioned on 22 March 1881. His record is additionally annotated “Traced P 14.10.1879” and “Traced, Civil Superannuitant”.