Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

Royal Naval College Mathematical Prize Medal 1806, by T. Wyon Jr., laureate bust of George III right, ‘Royal Naval College, Founded by King George III MDCCCVI’; reverse: inscribed in raised letters (name and date engraved), ‘First Mathematical Prize, awarded to John Washington at an examination June 1816’, with branches of palm and laurel below, 53mm., silver, ref: M.H. 1919, 560 (obv.); Eimer 980, minor edge bruising, good very fine £140-180

This lot was sold as part of a special collection, Prize, Training Ship, Nursing & Other Medals from the James N. Spencer Collection.

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A Naval Academy was founded in Portsmouth in the year 1729. In 1806 it was refounded and titled the Royal Naval College. In 1873 the College was removed to Greenwich, taking over the magnificent baroque buildings of the Royal Naval Hospital.

John Washington entered the Royal Navy on 15 May 1812 as a Volunteer 1st Class aboard the frigate Junon. The ship sailed for the North American Station where it took part in many operations in the Chesapeake, assisted in taking several American ships as prizes and, together with the Barrosa and Laurestinus fought off 15 gun boats in a three hour action fought on 20 June 1813. Removing as a Midshipman to the Sybille in October 1813 and thence the Princess Caroline in 1814, he returned to England in November 1814 and entered the Royal Naval College. Gaining the Mathematical Prize in 1816, he left the College the same year for service aboard the Forth in which he served for three years on the North American Station. Serving aboard the Vengeur and then the Superb, both on the South American Station, he gained the rank of Lieutenant on 1 January 1821. Further service followed and in August 1830 he was appointed Flag Lieutenant to Sir John Beresford Commander-in-Chief at the Nore. He was advanced to the rank of Commander on 14 August 1833. His last appointments afloat were on the steamers Shearwater and Blazer, 1841-47, on which he was engaged on maritime surveying work. He was promoted Captain, as a compliment to the King of Prussia, on 16 March 1842.

Captain Washington, known as an eminent maritime surveyor, was for some time the Secretary of the Geographical Society. In 1845 he was appointed a Commissioner for Inquiring into the State of the Rivers, Shores and Harbours of the United Kingdom.