Auction Catalogue

22 September 2006

Starting at 11:30 AM

.

Orders, Decorations and Medals

Grand Connaught Rooms  61 - 65 Great Queen St  London  WC2B 5DA

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Lot

№ 814

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22 September 2006

Hammer Price:
£3,800

Pair: Colour Sergeant William Fairweather, Royal Marines

China 1842 (W. Fairweather, Colr. Serg., Royal Marines); Royal Navy L.S. & G.C., Anchor obverse (Willm. Fairweather Serjeant Chatham Division Royal Marines 21 Years) fitted with contemporary swivel-ring and straight bar suspension, contact marks, therefore nearly very fine and scarce (2) £1200-1500

William Fairweather enlisted into the Chatham Division on 17 September 1823, aged 19 years. Having served on H.M. Ships Island of Bermuda, Buffalo, and Columbine, he went ashore in August 1840 in China where he spent nearly two years fighting and took part in sixteen actions, these being listed as part of the recommendation for his L.S. & G.C. medal, viz: Macas Barrier, 19 August 1840; attack by 90 war junks in the Canton River, 31 August 1840; storming and taking of Chuenpee, 7 January 1841; storming and taking of Macao Fort, 13 March 1841; taking of Tree or Mud Fort, 18 March 1841; taking the Heights of Canton, 25 May 1841; storming and taking of the City of Amoy, 26 August 1841; taking of Chusan, 1 October 1841; taking of Chinghae, 10 Octobaer 1841; surrender of Ningpo, 15 October 1841; taking of Yu Yao, 28 December 1841; surrender of Siki, 30 December 1841; surrender of City of Bungay, 18 January 1842; Siki attacked and taken, 15 March 1842; Chapoo City taken, 18 May 1842; and Woosung taken, 16 June 1842. Colour Sergeant Fairweather acted as Sergeant-Major of the Royal Marine Battalion from 1st October 1841 to 16th June 1842.

Note of recommendation for gratuity and medal.
‘The very strong recommendation from His Excellency Vice Admiral Sir William Parker addressed to the Secretary of the Admiralty and the certificates of Captain Murshed and Clark, Lieutenant Carpenter of H.M. Ship Columbine, Lieutenant-Colonel Ellis, Royal Marines, Major Hamilton, Major Uniack, Captain Innes, Colonels Lawrence and Wright, Commandants of the Royal Marines, Mr Sadler, Master of the Buffalo, and of Mr Hamilton, Surgeon in charge of female Convicts, so fully praise the loyal exemplary service of Sergeant Fairweather, the Court have only to record the Actions in which he served and which are annexed, and further that he has been recommended by Colonel Wright, Commandant of the Chatham Division, for the gratuity and medal.’

Fairweather was discharged in consequence of ‘Length of Service at own request’ on 27 September 1844, after 21 years 11 days in the Royal Marines. His L.S. & G.C. medal was approved three days later.