Miniature Medals

Royal National Lifeboat Institution, G.IV.R., silver, 1st type (Bartholomew Hynes, Voted 15 Decr. 1830) nearly very fine £200-250

Bartholomew Hynes, Boatman, H.M. Coastguard, Galway, Ireland. ‘20 November 1830: On Ireland’s Atlantic coast, the brig Lillies was wrecked on Black Rock, off Galway, Co. Galway. Two men were drowned, but the Master and four men remained aboard in the violent weather. Both a Coastguard boat and a boat from a man-o-war failed to save them and, during their several hours awaiting rescue, the survivors contrived, vainly, to build a raft. Finally, Mr Hynes and a crew of nine fishermen took them off in a sailing boat.’ The silver medal was awarded to Mr Hynes only.