Orders, Decorations and Medals

Royal National Lifeboat Institution, V.R., silver (Mr Matthew Franklin. Voted 5th April 1883) with uniface ‘double dolphin’ suspension, minor edge bruise, good very fine £450-550

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. 66.

R.N.L.I. Medal: ‘11 March 1883: The Drammen schooner Atlas was driven on to the Long Scar Rocks off Seaton Carew, Co. Durham, in a violent north-easterly gale accompanied by snow showers and a very heavy sea. The Seaton Carew lifeboat Job Hindley launched at once, but could find no signs of a wreck. Therefore Coxswain Hood and John Franklin landed on the reef, but darkness made a search extremely difficult. In spite of seas washing over them and, at one point, Mr Hood being washed off, they found the wreck, then, joined by Matthew Franklin, managed to get a line on board her stern. The Coxswain rushed into the surf and rescued the schooner’s Mate, and four others were brought off the wreck by line. All eight men regained the lifeboat and it was pulled back to shore’ (Ref. Lifeboat Gallantry, by Barry Cox).

Coxswain Henry Hood and Crew Members John Henry Franklin and his brother Matthew Franklin, all of the Seaton Carew Lifeboat were each awarded the R.N.L.I. Medal in Silver. Henry Hood was also awarded the Albert Medal 2nd Class for this rescue.

See lot 102 for his brother’s medal.