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Auction: 23113 - Orders, Decorations and Medals - e-Auction
Lot: 596

The very fine campaign group of four awarded to Captain T. Stuart, Royal Navy, who was promoted for his part in the Syria operations of 1840, having already earned two Royal National Institution Lifesaving Medals for acts in his native Ireland, besides the reward of a Lloyds Sword for saving the Hannah in 1829

Naval General Service 1793-1840, 1 clasp, Syria (T. Stuart, Senr. Lieut. R.N.), with silver riband buckle; Royal National Institution for the Preservation of Life from Shipwreck, G.IV.R., silver (Lieut. Thos. Stuart R.N. Voted 3 Decr. 1834); Royal National Institution for the Preservation of Life from Shipwreck, G.IV.R., silver (Lieut. Thos. Stuart R.N. Voted 10 Jany. 1838); St Jean d'Acre 1840, silver issue, the group mounted in a most attractive period fitted wooden display box by Hunt & Roskell, each Medal in a fitted recess, the lid with brass plate engraved 'Captn. Thomas Stuart R.N.', very fine (4)

Rewarded with the Royal National Institute for the Preservation of Life from Shipwreck’s Silver Medal on two occasions for his gallantry. The inset plaques to the case state:

'For having put off in a boat & assisted to save the crew of 5 men of the sloop James which was wrecked in Cushenden Bay on the 3rd December 1834.'

'For having (unassisted) taken 3 men off a wreck among breakers to which no boat could venture. Ballmacaw Co. Waterford. 10 January 1838.'

Thomas Stuart was born in 1797 at Limerick, Ireland and entered the Royal Navy in December 1811. During the Syria campaign he was the Senior Lieutenant aboard Hazard and was promoted Commander on 4 November 1840 for his gallant conduct during the bombardments in which she shared. Besides the two Lifesaving Medals and two campaign Medals he earned during his career, Stuart was also in receipt of '...a valuable sword from Lloyds, for bringing in a vessel to Portsmouth from the Western Islands, which his ship had falled in with in a sinking state.'

That sword was earned whilst with Captain Austin in saving the Hannah in 1829. He married Lucy Bland, the daughter of Commander Bland, of Derryquin Castle, where he took his seat upon his return from the Mediterranean. The Captain died at Cork in 1885.

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Sold for
£3,800

Starting price
£1200