Auction Catalogue

25 & 26 September 2019

Starting at 10:00 AM

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Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

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Lot

№ 1076

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26 September 2019

Hammer Price:
£360

Liverpool Shipwreck and Humane Society, Marine Medal, 1st type, silver, 1st Class medallion, 56mm, frosted and glazed, with outer silver band (To Mr. James Batty, for assisting in saving the People from the Conflagration of the Ocean Monarch, 24 Aug. 1848.) edge bruising to outer silver band, otherwise good very fine £300-£400

‘The American sailing vessel Ocean Monarch left Liverpool for the United States on the morning of August 24th, 1848, with 396 persons, of whom 32 were first and second class cabin passengers, 322 were emigrants and 42 crew. Just after noon of the same day a steward reported to Captain Murdock that he had discovered a passenger lighting a fire in one of the ventilators in the after part of the ship. The captain at once sent an officer and a seaman to put out the fire and to bring the delinquent, but by that time the ship was burning. She was put before the wind to lessen the draught, but had to be brought to again, and the flames, fanned by the wind, soon gained mastery.

The
Ocean Monarch’s position was six miles off Great Orme’s Head, North Wales, and as the fire was gaining rapidly the anchors were dropped to keep her stationary. Many of the unfortunate emigrants took refuge in the bows and in the rigging of the foremast, until both foremast and jib-boom snapped and the whole mass of people was flung into the sea.

At the time of the disaster the Brazilian frigate
Alfonso was running her steam trials under command of Captain Joachim Lisboa. The Alfonso at once lowered her boats and went to the rescue of the emigrant ship. At the same time the steamship Prince of Wales, on her way to Bangor; the yacht Queen of the Ocean; and the American packet New World also came to the rescue. Between them these ships managed to save 218 persons, including those saved in the ship’s boats, Captain Murdoch being among the survivors. The loss of life amounted to 178, either from drowning or fire. The ship sank at her anchors at 1:30 p.m.’

James Batty served as First Mate in the railway Steamer Prince of Wales, and helped rescue 17 lives from the Ocean Monarch conflagration. He died in Formby in 1851, aged 50. Mr. Dani, the master of the Prince of Wales, was awarded the Liverpool Shipwreck and Humane Society’s Gold Medal for this rescue.