Orders, Decorations and Medals

Fleetwood Diamond Jubilee Commemoration Medal 1897, bronze (Fred Bettess for saving 18 lives in one trip, at Fleetwood. Jun ... 97) date partially obscured by suspension claw, very fine and scarce £80-120

Fred Bettes was a crewman of the Fleetwood lifeboat Maude Pickup which, on 17th June 1897, rescued eighteen lives from three storm-tossed vessels, the Zillah, Svallern, and Louise. The rescue took nearly five hours and is described fully in copies from the Fleetwood Chronicle sold with the medal. It is assumed that each of the fifteen man crew, named in the newspaper, were presented with one of these medals, suitably inscribed.