Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

The remarkable Cornelius family group:

William Cornelius, Able Seaman, Royal Navy

Naval General Service 1793-1840, 3 clasps, 1 June 1794, 23 June 1795, Trafalgar (William Cornelius)

William Cornelius, Petty Officer, Royal Navy

Naval General Service 1793-1840, 1 clasp, Trafalgar (Wm. Cornelius) renamed in contemporary engraved serif capitals; China 1842 (William Cornelius, Petty Offr. H.M.S. Modeste); Royal Navy L.S. & G.C., V.R., wide suspension (Wilm. Cornelius, Quar. Mas. H.M.S. Wellesley. 26 Yrs.)

William John Cornelius, Leading Stoker, Royal Navy

Royal Navy L.S. & G.C., V.R., narrow suspension (Willm. J. Cornelius, Lg. Stoker H.M.S. Esk) impressed naming

William Cornelius, Chief Stoker, Royal Navy

Royal Navy L.S. & G.C., V.R., narrow suspension (Wm. Cornelius, Ch. Sto., H.M.S. Excellent) impressed naming

John Cornelius, Able Seaman, Royal Navy

Royal Navy L.S. & G.C., G.V.R., 1st issue (186389 John Cornelius, A.B. H.M.S. Russell) the first four medals with contact marks, nearly very fine or better, the remainder nearly extremely fine (7) £6000-8000

Formerly in the collection of Alec Purves who purchased these medals from Glendining’s in July and October 1947.

William Cornelius Snr. was born at North Molton, Devon, in 1773, and was almost certainly impressed into the Navy. He served as a Landsman in the Royal George on the ‘Glorious First of June’, and became rated as an Able Seaman on 1 March 1795. He was temporarily transferred to the Leviathan on 26 April 1795, returning to the Royal George on 17th May, in which ship he was present at the action on 23 June 1795. He served at Trafalgar as an Able Seaman aboard the Prince, having joined that ship in April 1804 when he was aged 30.

William Cornelius Jr. was born in 1793, at Chudleigh, Devon, and joined the Navy as a Boy 3rd Class, aged 12, aboard his father’s ship, the Prince, on 1 September 1805, just a few weeks before Trafalgar. His name is the very last entry on the ship’s muster for the period covering the battle of Trafalgar. His name, however, does not appear on the Trafalgar medal roll, although he was unquestionably present and certainly lived long enough to make a claim. Curiously there is an entry on the medal roll against his father’s name which states “Duplicate issued”, but only for Trafalgar, not against the entries for his other two clasps. Could this engraved medal in fact be an official duplicate medal, albeit renamed, issued amidst the confusion of a father and son with the same names serving aboard the same ship? He continued in Prince until March 1807, and subsequently served as Boy 3rd Class in the Vanguard, as Boy 1st Class in the Bulwark, and then, from February 1813 (when he had apparently become 20) as Able Seaman, later as Quarter Gunner, in the Salvador, until November 1814. It is possible that he may have overstated his age on joining the Navy as, from November 1814 until August 1815, he reverted to Boy 2nd Class, serving in Impregnable, St George and Caledonian. He then had 20 months ashore at Plymouth, as a Lieutenant’s Servant, then at sea again for 20 months as an Ordinary and an Able Bodied Seaman. This was followed by a period of 10 years at Plymouth, apparently sick. He returned to sea again in March 1830, serving aboard the Blanche, Canopus and San Josef. He joined the Modeste in October 1838, as Captain of the Afterguard, and served in her during the war in China, until March 1843, as Ship’s Cook and Quartermaster. He then went to Wellesley, in which ship he received his L.S. & G.C. medal and gratuity on 13 June 1851. He eventually retired from the Navy on 14 December 1861, after 35 years 50 days sea service out of a total service of 56 years.

William John Cornelius was born at Devonport, Devon, on 6 January 1845, and joined the Navy as a Warrant Officer’s Servant in August 1863. After four years as a Domestic 2nd Class, he signed up for Continuous Service in November 1867, as a Stoker 2nd Class, being rated Stoker the following year. He became a Leading Stoker in February 1875, and received his L.S. & G.C. medal aboard the Esk on 5 September 1881. He was Shore Pensioned in May 1884 and finally retired from the Navy in April 1905 having reached the age limit.

William Cornelius was born at Gosport, Hampshire, on 10 January 1862, and joined the Navy as a Domestic 3rd Class in March 1880. He joined the Stoker branch in July 1882 and rose to become a Chief Stoker in June 1896. He received his L.S. & G.C. medal in H.M.S. Excellent on 8 September 1899, and was pensioned in March 1900.

John Cornelius was born at Woodnesborough, Kent, on 11 June 1880, and joined the Navy as a Boy 2nd Class in October 1895. He became an Ordinary Seaman in June 1898 and an Able Bodied Seaman in April 1900. He received his L.S. & G.C. medal while serving as an Able Seaman aboard H.M.S. Russell on 16 July 1913, and served during the Great War in H.M. Ships Actaeon, Biter, Lark and Oberon, for which he may be entitled to medals. Sold with comprehensive research including copies of muster for Prince, and copy records of service for all but William Cornelius, Senior.