Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

Naval General Service 1793-1840, 1 clasp, Algiers (Edwd. Beatty, Chaplain.) original ribbon, together with a fine cased Ambrotype by Keith’s, Liverpool, believed to be of the recipient wearing a medal, lid detached from case, toned, nearly extremely fine and rare £3000-3500

The published rolls show just 26 medals issued to Chaplains, including three for Algiers.

Edward Beatty was born in Ireland in about 1788. After graduating B.A. from Trinity College, Dublin, he was appointed a Deacon by the Bishop of Kilmore on 27 August 1809, and ordained a Priest by the Bishop of Fearns on 24 August 1810. He was appointed Chaplain in the Royal Navy on 8 June 1812, and sent aboard H.M.S. Asia, in which ship he served until 12 August 1814. On 1 September 1814, he was appointed to H.M.S. Superb, flag of Sir Henry Hotham. On 16 July 1815, Admiral Hotham entertained Napoleon for breakfast on board the Superb, accompanied by Captain Maitland of the Bellerophon, on which occasion the Emperor requested an interview with the Chaplain, Edward Beatty, and put a few questions to him as to the number of Catholics and foreigners in the ship, and whether any of them spoke the French language. Napoleon returned to the Bellerophon about noon.

Beatty was present in Superb at the battle of Algiers, and was discharged from that ship in June 1818 to the Liffey. He afterwards continued his service at sea aboard various ships including the Revolutionnaire, Prince Regent, Gloster, Britannia, Victory, and Asia until November 1832, when he was placed on half-pay, and appointed by the Governors of Greenwich Hospital to be Rector of Bellingham, Northumberland. In November 1841 he requested a transfer to the Parish of Wark, near Hexham, another of the Greenwich livings, but this did not come about until the death of the incumbent there in 1848. The Reverend Edward Beatty died on 30 August 1851, aged 64, and is buried in Wark churchyard cemetery.

Sold with research including a copy of Captain Maitland’s published account of the Surrender of Napoleon.