Miniature Medals

Liverpool Shipwreck and Humane Society, Marine Medal, 1st large type, silver (Jno. Doyle, one of the Volunteer Boats Crew of Darien (S.S.), who gallantly saved 2 of their own Ship’s Crew and Crew of Schooner Harmony, March 1867) test cut to rim, otherwise good very fine and scarce £300-350

Sold with copy of the Society’s Annual Report, which states: ‘Six [medals] were awarded to the two boats’ crews of the West India and Pacific steamship Darien, one of which boats was capsized in proceeding to the assistance of the people on board the schooner Harmony, in a sinking state, with her boats destroyed, off the south-west coast of Ireland. Mr A Gore Kelly, second officer of the Darien, Mr Boase, third officer, and Lawrence Myers, Able Seaman, were unhappily drowned before the second boat could reach them, which was immediately launched on perceiving the accident, and saved the other two men, William Clinton and William Scott, who were in the first boat, and then proceeded to the Harmony, from which they took her crew in a very exhausted state. The crew of the second boat were George Hartley, Thomas Perrott, J. Doyle, Robert Kelly and another man, the award of whose medal was cancelled for obtaining one of the others on a misrepresentation, but which was subsequently recovered. Each man had also £2 voted to him in addition to the medal, but some of the men having gone to sea before the award, have still both the money and medal to receive.’

Sold with copy of the Society’s Annual Report, which states: ‘Six [medals] were awarded to the two boats’ crews of the West India and Pacific steamship Darien, one of which boats was capsized in proceeding to the assistance of the people on board the schooner Harmony, in a sinking state, with her boats destroyed, off the south-west coast of Ireland. Mr A Gore Kelly, second officer of the Darien, Mr Boase, third officer, and Lawrence Myers, Able Seaman, were unhappily drowned before the second boat could reach them, which was immediately launched on perceiving the accident, and saved the other two men, William Clinton and William Scott, who were in the first boat, and then proceeded to the Harmony, from which they took her crew in a very exhausted state. The crew of the second boat were George Hartley, Thomas Perrott, J. Doyle, Robert Kelly and another man, the award of whose medal was cancelled for obtaining one of the others on a mis