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Auction: 4014 - Orders, Decorations, Campaign Medals and Militaria
Lot: 321

A Rare Pair of Life Saving Awards to J.S. Taylor A Large Gold Medal set with Rose Diamonds in the form of a cross patteé, 57mm x 43mm, obverse engraved 'In Recognition of His Bravery in Attempting to Rescue a Shipmate on 25th September 1862', reverse engraved 'P.S.N. Coy's S.S. "Liguria" Presented to J. Scott Taylor 2nd Officer By First & Second Class Passengers', maker's mark (K & Co.), in damaged leather case; Mercantile Marine Service Association Medal, silver, reverse engraved 'To Mr. J.S. Taylor Late Chf. Officer S.S. Cotopaxi For Heroic Devotion to Duty when His Vessel had been in Collision and when She Subsequently Foundered in Smith's Channel April 15 1889', with scroll suspension and silver riband buckle, in case of issue, both extremely fine (2) Estimate £ 800-1,000 S.S. Liguria 'Monday the 25th has a bad memory in the records of this voyage..... Our weather was very squally....in a few minutes black clouds, wind and a deluge of rain. In the afternoon some of the sailors were busy setting up one of the new sails, the running gear got foul and a seaman went out on the boom to get it clear while doing this a sudden squall sent it over to one side with great violence and the Captain observing this from the Bridge sung out to the men below to hold on to the stays to keep it steady.....the rising wind jerked the boom over with such force that the poor fellow could hold on no longer, but was flung clean over the side into the water, he instantly rose and struck out bravely and several life buoys were at once flung over.....the Second Officer (J.S. Taylor) jumped into a boat with eight volunteers and impatient at the delay in lowering the ropes were cut away with the little boat tossing on the waves like a cork.' Despite the volunteers valiant attempts to find their comrade, they were ultimately unsuccessful; extract taken from the diary of Charles Grover, a passenger on the voyage. Sinking of the Cotopaxi On 6 March 1889, the Cotopaxi left the Mersey under the command of Captain W.H. Hayes, with J.S. Taylor as Chief Officer, good progress was made until the evening of 8 April. 'At 8pm she was approaching Cape Froward when the Captain, who had been on the Bridge for some 40 hours owing to the intricate navigation and the prevailing misty weather, retired to the chartroom after giving instructions to be called if anything was sighted. About three hours later there came the noise of rending iron, accompanied by a great deal of shouting, and both Captain and Second Officer rushed to the Bridge to find that the German steamer Olympia had struck the Cotopaxi on her starboard side and the liner was listing heavily already, whilst the Olympia had her bows badly damaged.' For five days the Captain and crew managed to keep the Cotopaxil afloat long enough to be within reach of land. These days witnessed numerous feats of heroism, including 'The Chief Officer [who] made his way into the coal bunkers in an endeavour to stop the aperture through which the water was entering'. Through the professionalism of the Captain and his crew, all 202 passengers were safely removed from the ship within minutes of the vessel finally sinking on the 15th of April. Extract taken from Sea Breezes, Volume VII, 1925,

Sold for
£800