Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

A rare U.S.A. Presidential Life Saving Medal awarded to George Fox for assistance in rescuing the crew of the Northern Belle, off the coast of Kent, 5 / 6 January 1857

U.S.A. Presidential Life Saving Medal 1853-79 issue, by Koehler, 64mm. dia., silver, obverse: a man with an arm raised, the other clinging on to a broken mast bearing the letters ‘US’; to the left in the distance a ship under full sail; to the right clouds, birds circling overhead; reverse: a wreath of laurel and oak leaves, with an eagle grasping the branches at its base, with 31 stars above, inscribed, ‘The President of the United States to George Fox for his humanity towards Citizens of the United States 1857’; edge inscribed, ‘For Rescuing the Crew of the “Northern Belle”, ring suspension, slight edge bruising, good very fine £1200-1500

The Northern Belle was an American ship of 1,100 tons, bound from New York to London with a general cargo. In the early hours of 5 January 1857, in blizzard conditions, she came to anchor three-quarters of a mile off Kingsgate on the Thanet coast of Kent. As the day progressed her situation became desperate, and with the seas breaking over her, at 6.30 the crew cut away two of her three masts so that she might ride out the stormy seas more easily. By 8.00 it was feared by the coastguard that the ship might part from her anchors and be cast against the shore and cliffs, so instructions were sent to the lifeboats and crews at Broadstairs to attempt a rescue. Due to the conditions of weather and sea neither boats could be launched at Broadstairs, so both the Mary White and the Culmer White had to be hauled overland by horse-drawn trailers through thick snow and in blizzard conditions to a point nearer Kingsgate where they could be launched.

Whilst these preparations were underway, at about 11.30, the lugger Victory, of Margate, being in the vicinity and hoping to assist, was suddenly overwhelmed by the sea and disappeared with the loss of her crew of twelve. However, the lugger Ocean, also of Margate, managed to get alongside the Northern Belle and was able to rescue five of the crew, leaving some 23 men still on the ship.

Despite fears to the contrary, for most of the day, the Northern Belle’s anchors held but in the late evening the ship parted company from its anchors and was driven ashore. On the morning of the 6th January, with blizzard conditions and high seas still in force, the 23 survivors of the Northern Belle were to be found in a most perilous and abject state, having lashed themselves to the rigging from the remaining mast. At 7.30 the lifeboat Mary White was manned and launched through the boiling surf and managed to rescue seven men from the wreck. A while later, the Culmer White was launched and managed to rescue a further 14 men. Just two men remained on board - the Captain of the ship and the Pilot who had been taken on at Dover - both of whom wished to stay with the stricken vessel. Some time later, the lifeboat Culmer White was again launched and the boat’s crew after much difficulty managed to persuade the two men to save their lives.

The 23 rescued men were taken to ‘The Captain Digby’ Inn at Kinsgate to be revived and cared for.

The lifeboats having done their duty, were then hauled back overland to Broadstairs. On the Mary White was raised an oar, tied to which was the tattered American ‘Stars and Stripes’ taken from the Northern Belle; the boats and their heroic crews were cheered by the inhabitants as they passed through the town.

In response to these acts of gallantry in saving the crew of an American ship, President Franklin Pierce granted the award of the Presidential Life Saving Medal to each of the men of the two lifeboat crews. A cash reward was also made according to how many rescue trips they had made - with a recipient having made one trip being awarded $50; two trips awarded $100, and the one person making all three trips being awarded $150. An appeal was also launched for money to provide for the widows and children of those lost on the lugger Victory.

An account of the rescue by John Laing, of Broadstairs was published in The Times, 8 January 1857. A quote relating to the rescue appearing in the London Illustrated News proudly stated that, ‘none but Englishmen would come off to our rescue in such a sea’. The public house ‘Waterman Arms’, of Margate, built in 1680, was renamed ‘Northern Belle’ soon after the rescue. Timbers from the wreck were used in its refurbishment.

Medal held in a damaged leather fitted case - the velvet pad with spaces for two other medals. With copied research.