Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

Arctic Medal 1875-76 (G. Stone. Py. Offr. 2. Cl. H.M.S. Discovery) a little polished and some light scratches, otherwise very fine and scarce £6,000-£8,000

60 Arctic 1875-76 medals issued to the officers and crew of Discovery.

George Stone was born in London on 22 September 1845. He entered the Navy on 14 April 1860, as a Boy 2nd class and took a 10 year engagement (CS no 9695A) on his 18th birthday, though still a Boy 1st class. Advanced to Ordinary Seaman on 6 March 1864, and to Able Seaman on 4 February 1866, he served in Columbine from October 1862 to January 1868. On his 28th birthday in 1873) he extended for a further 10 years (his new Official no being 64294), and was advanced to Leading Seaman on 2 October 1873.

He was advanced to Petty Officer 2nd class and joined Discovery from Duke of Wellington on 17 April 1875, all on the same day. He was then a "trained man" with 2 GCBs. He transferred to Alert on 26 August 1875 and returned to Discovery on 1 June 1876, remaining in her until 5 December 1876. So, for the winter period he was actually in Alert, one of only nine persons to have served in both ships during the expedition. In the Autumn of 1875 he was one of the crew of the sledge ‘Discovery’ with Lieutenant Wyatt Rawson when attempting to communicate with Discovery, and in the following Spring did a pioneer reconnaissance across the Robeson Channel for a week, before exploring the north coast of Greenland with the party under Lieutenant Beaumont, being away for 131 days.

On 19 January 1877, he transferred to the Coastguard, nominally on the books of Penelope, but stationed variously at first at East Swale and being rated Boatman on 21 January 1877. Later he was stationed at Whitstable, Clift Creek and Clacton-on Sea, so definitely a Thames Estuary man. He was advanced to Commissioned Boatman on 1 November 1880, and was finally discharged ‘Shore' and pensioned on 10 October 1885, at the age of just over 40 and after a total of over 25 years service. He received his third Good Conduct Badge on 6 March 1877, but never received a L.S. & G.C. medal.

On 20 October 1885, he joined the Corps of Commissionaires (Corps No. 1176) and the 1891 census shows him to be living in Erith, Kent as a Commissionaire (Port). He died at Horsehay, Dawley, in Shropshire from "cerebral thrombosis" on 18 January 1924, aged 78.

Sold with copied research including record of service and details of sledging parties.