The Douglas-Morris Collection of Naval Medals (Part 1)

Three: China 1842 (J. H. Selwyn, Mate, H.M.S. Sulphur); Crimea 1854-55, no clasp (Cmdr., H.M.S. Prometheus) engraved naming; Turkish Crimea 1855, British issue, named as before, mounted on a triple buckle pin-brooch, good very fine (3)

This lot was sold as part of a special collection, The Douglas-Morris Collection of Naval Medals.

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Jasper Henry Selwyn was born in 1819, the grandson of Lord George Murray, Bishop of St Davids, and great-grandson of the 3rd Duke of Atholl. He entered the Navy on 23 January 1834 and passed his Mate’s examination on 31 December 1840. In the China War as Mate of SULPHUR he was officially mentioned for his conduct, particularly at the capture of Canton (London Gazette 1841, p.2504), and promoted to Lieutenant for these services on 8 October 1841. Selwyn commanded H.M.S. PROMETHEUS from 12 September 1854 until 18 January 1856, and in 1855 he paid a short visit to the Crimea, taking Rear Admiral Fremantle to Balaklava, arriving there on 23 July and sailing for Gibraltar on 26 July. This short visit qualified him for the Crimea medal without clasp and the Turkish medal. He retired from active service in February 1868, retired as Admiral in July 1885, and died in London on 31 December 1901.