Auction Catalogue

4 December 2002

Starting at 12:00 PM

.

Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

Grand Connaught Rooms  61 - 65 Great Queen St  London  WC2B 5DA

Lot

№ 524

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4 December 2002

Hammer Price:
£360

Royal National Institution for the Preservation of Life from Shipwreck (later the R.N.L.I.), G.IV.R., silver (Mr G. C. Jones, Voted Jan. 9, 1839), ring suspension, good very fine £280-340

Case 659: ‘The Brig Gainsborough, from Liverpool to London, was wrecked 29th November, at Malahide, near Dublin.

One of the Malahide crew reported to Capt. Ross, R.N. the Inspecting Commander, that there was a vessel on the shore near Carrickhill Tower and that the Chief Officer and remainder of the men had proceeded in that direction. Upon Capt. Ross seeing the vessel, and that the crew were in the rigging in the most imminent danger, and must perish if means were not adopted for taking them from the wreck, the sea at this time breaking as nearly as high as her tops, with a violent and increasing gale from S.E. (right on shore) and heavy rain, and every apprehension that each succeeding wave would carry the masts away by the board, there was no alternative but to attempt to go off in the boat, and hastening back to Malahide, he provided carts, and after much difficulty, succeeded in placing the six oar’d galley fore and aft on two carts lashed together, and a fishing boat of a light description on a third cart, in case of failure of the galley: the distance, by the coast to the spot, being about two miles and the road very bad, it was nearly two o’clock before they arrived. This done, no time was lost in removing the galley from the carts and placing her by the water’s edge ready to launch, and Capt. Ross jumping into the stern sheets, and calling out for a crew of volunteers, he was instantly followed by
Mr Jones, Chief Officer, three of the Malahide crew, two of the Baldagh, and Mr Beggs, the master of a small collier belonging to Baldagh. The paramount object being the preservationof the lives of the crew of the vessel, they launched, among the cheers of hundreds, to pull through a heavy surf, and proceeded, buoyed up with the hope that they should succeed, and had nearly reached the vessel, without having shipped much water, when unfortunately, notwithstandng their precautions to keep her head to it, two or three heavy waves in quick succession came right on board, and filled her above the thwarts; having no power over her, he gave orders for the crew to stick to their places, still keeping her head to the sea. By this attempt they lost some of the stretchers, and the tiller and rudder were broken.

A second attempt was made in a similar manner, and with the same unsuccessful result, having filled again and broken one oar. A third attempt was made about half past three, under the additional disadvantage of having to go further to windward, to allow for a strong flood tide, by which the distance from the wreck was increased, and consequently longer in getting near her, the boat filling again.

Although the vessel was a complete wreck, her masts were standing firmly; he therefore determined waiting and trying towards low water, or if there should be any favourable opportunity in the interim; he made arrangements and preparations, and the weather moderating sufficiently to give fresh hopes, about half past 12 the galley was launched again, and they succeeded in landing the master, two seamen, and one boy, the survivors, in safety.

The Inspecting Commander hurt his leg, and
Mr Jones, Chief Officer, received a cut over his right eye’.