An Important Collection of Medals for the Maori Wars, 1845-1866

New Zealand 1845-66, reverse dated 1860 to 1861 (Asst.-Surgn. R. C. P. Lawrenson, H.M.S. Niger) officially impressed naming, ‘Egan’ engraved below bust, lacking suspension bar and fitted with swivel ring suspension, polished, good fine £300-400

This lot was sold as part of a special collection, An Important Collection of Medals for the Maori Wars, 1845-1866.

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Collection

66 medals were awarded to H.M.S. Niger (13 to R.N. officers, 37 to R.N. ratings, and 16 to R.M. N.C.Os. and men) of which 33 are known including 2 to R.N. officers with reverses dated 1860, 4 to R.N. ratings with reverses undated, and the rest with reverses dated 1860-1861.

Richard Lawrenson was appointed Assistant Surgeon at Plymouth Hospital in January 1857 and then was transferred to Niger in March 1857 until September 1861, returning to Plymouth Hospital in October 1861 for two years, followed by further Home Service until being posted to Royal Alfred from January 1867until May 1869, during which period he was appointed Surgeon on 27 December 1867. He was at sea again on Barracouta from May 1869 to April 1870, then Pembroke for leave followed by service in Britannia, Royal Adelaide, and Impregnable (the latter as Staff Surgeon, 2nd Class) in Home Service until October 1873 when he was transferred to Victor Emannuel from November 1873 to June 1874. He then served at Portsmouth Dockyard from August 1874 to November 1877 and then Audacious from February to December 1878, during which period he was promoted to Fleet Surgeon on 18th July 1878, followed by service on Duke of Wellington from January 1879 to August 1881. He was then transferred to Hercules in September 1881 for two years, being posted to Malta Dockyard in September 1883 where he died on 2 November 1883. ADM 101/44 refers to Staff Surgeon R.C.P. Lawrenson as aboard the Victor Emmanuel from November 1873 to June 1874 on the Gold Coast fitting the ship as a military hospital.