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

Four: Abyssinia 1867-68 (J. Nimrod, Krooman, H.M.S. Daphne) suspension ring flattened; Egypt and Sudan 1882-89, undated reverse, no clasp, unnamed as issued; Royal Navy L.S. & G.C., V.R., narrow suspension (Jack Nimrod, Tindal, H.M.S. Briton) impressed naming; Khedive’s Star 1884, the group mounted in a glazed case with label which reads “Medals of John Nimrod, West African, Krooman who was 24 years in the Royal Navy and served in fourteen ships 1867-1891. He was afterwards Churchwarden of Zanzibar Cathedral. He died January 28th 1908 leaving all his possessions and these medals to the Mission”, generally very fine and rare (4)

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

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Jack Nimrod saw service in the Royal Navy for the first time as a Krooman with seven others aboard H.M.S. DAPHNE, joining her at Freetown, Sierra Leone on 6 September 1867, the day after she had arrived from Maderia on her voyage to East African waters. Jack Nimrod along with the other Kroomen were signed aboard as members of DAPHNE's ship's company, not as supernumeraries. Of these eight Kroomen joining DAPHNE, six were later to receive the Abyssinian medal. After his discharge from the DAPHNE in February 1870 where he earned the Abyssinia medal, he remained continuously at sea in various H.M. Ships until placed ashore at Trincomalee from H.M.S. COLUMBINE in November 1872. Taken up by the DAPHNE again on 19 April 1873 at Mahe, Seychelles, whilst she was sailing to more southerly waters from Aden, but Jack Nimrod was now rated as a “Seedie”, as if he had changed his birthplace from West to East Africa! The reason must have been a much disliked Admiralty order issued during 1870 which forbade Kroomen from West Africa to serve aboard H.M. Ships on the East Coast of Africa.

On 1st August 1873 he was drafted to H.M.S. SHEARWATER where, upon joining, he was advanced to Tindal (Head Seedie) on 1 August 1873, and was subsequently to serve aboard H.M. Ships FLYING FISH (1875-77), VULTURE (1877-79), PHILOMEL (1881-83) and BRITON at Zanzibar on 14 June 1883 until 14 July 1887, earning the Egypt medal and his LS & GC award. Continued his service afloat aboard H.M. Ships GANNET (1887-90) and MARATHON (1890-91) until pensioned on 27 June 1891, having earned 3 Good Conduct Badges, and with a character assessment throughout his career of Very Good or Exemplary.