Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

Portugal, a rare pair awarded to Lieutenant John Seaton, Royal Navy, later Inspector of Convicts, Norfolk Island, Australia

King John VI’s Gold Medal, H.M.S. Lively, Third Class, 44mm x 30mm, gold, the obverse central medallion with high relief portrait bust of the King, enclosed by 18 rose-cut diamonds, set upon crossed fouled anchors and suspended from a crown; the reverse centre inscribed ‘Lt. John Seaton 3’ surrounded by struck gold band ‘lively’ above a wreath of laurel, with ornate gold suspension bar, in its Francisco des Santos Leite, No 24 Rua Aurea contemporary red leather case of issue

Military Order of the Tower and Sword, Knight’s breast badge, 46mm x 40mm, gold and enamels, with gold bar suspension and ribbon bar, in contemporary green leather case of issue, both pieces with original ribbons, extremely fine and of oustanding quality (2) £9000-12000

Knight of the Military Order of the Sword, Royal Licence 21 April 1825: ‘Lieutenant John Seaton, of His Majesty’s Ship Lively, on the occasion of the visit of His Most Faithful Majesty John the Sixth, King of Portugal, on board that Ship, in The Tagus, in the month of May, 1824.’ King John bestowed various classes of this order upon 6 officers of the Lively and 14 officers of the Windsor Castle.

John Seaton was born on 22 May 1791, and entered the Royal Navy on 29 August 1807, as a First Class Volunteer on board the Princess of Orange. From March 1808 until February 1814, Seaton served as Midshipman and Master’s Mate on board the Ranger in the Baltic. During that period he assisted in taking the Island of Anholdt, was frequently sent home in charge of captured vessels, and on one occasion, while so employed, fell into the hands of the Danes, who kept him a prisoner from 15 May 1812 until 14 November 1813. He also commanded the Pickle tender, fitted as a rocket-vessel, in two attacks made by the combined squadrons of England and Russia on the French batteries at Danzig. In February 1814 he transferred to the Tonnant, flagship on the coast of North America of Hon. Sir Alexander Cochrane, but in July of that year he was invalided home. He was promoted to Lieutenant on 9 March 1815.

Seaton’s last appointment afloat was to the Lively on 30 October 1823, in which frigate he visited the Tagus, escorted Don Miguel to Brest, went on a mission to Algiers, and served on the West India station. While in the Tagus he was created a Knight of the Tower and Sword by Don John, who had taken refuge during a popular commotion, on board the Windsor Castle, assisted by the Lively. Lieutenant Seaton took charge of a Coast Guard station in October 1826, and remained in that employment until about 1850 when he was appointed Inspector of Convicts at Norfolk Island, off the west coast of Australia.

These Lively and Windsor Castle ‘jewels’ were the personal gift of King John VI, of Portugal, in gratitude for the refuge he found aboard the two British ships anchored off Lisbon during the rebellion of May 1824. Four distinct classes were presented, each class being denoted by the numeral (1-4) inscribed on the reverse, as well as the number of diamonds on the obverse, fewer and larger the higher the class. Additionally, the 4th class was sub-divided into two grades, one with and one without diamonds. the greater number of these badges were awarded to the Windsor Castle, being the larger of the two ships.