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Auction: 7022 - Orders, Decorations, Medals & Militaria
Lot: 1230

The Superb G.C.B. Group of Eight to Admiral Sir W.H. Stewart, Royal Navy, Who Pursued a Most Active Career Ashore and Afloat, For Almost Twenty Years, Which Included Service in the Spanish Carlist Wars, 1836-37; The Operations On and Off the Syrian Coast, 1840, Including the Bombardment of Gebail (Mentioned for Gallantry in the Boats), and the Attack on Tortosa, 1840-41, Where, Although Wounded, He Again Repeated the Performance in Command of a Boat; The Successful Operation of 1849 to Retake the Rebel Chilean Colony of Sandy Point, in the Magellan Straights (Thanked by the French, American, and Chilean Governments); Was Mentioned for the Bombardment of Sebastopol, 1854 (Wounded), and Was Further Mentioned When In Charge of the Division of Gun-Boats at the Bombardment of Sveaborg in the Baltic, 1855 a) The Most Honourable Order of the Bath, Military Division, Knight Grand Cross (G.C.B.) Star, by Garrard, London, 92mm, gold, silver, and enamel, with gold pin and maker´s details engraved on the reverse b) Naval General Service 1793-1840, one clasp, Syria (W.H. Stewart, Midshipman.), with top silver riband bar c) Baltic 1854-55 (Captn. W.H. Stewart, R.N.- H.M.S. Dragon.), with top silver riband bar d) Crimea 1854-56, one clasp, Sebastopol (Capt. W.H. Stewart, R.N. H.M.S. Firebrand.), with top silver riband bar e) Turkey, Ottoman Empire, Order of the Medjidieh, Fourth Class breast Badge, 58mm, silver, gold applique, and enamel, Star and Crescent suspension detached and affixed to riband, with gold retaining pin added to reverse of badge and top silver riband buckle f) France, Second Empire, Legion of Honour, Fourth Class breast Badge, 63mm including crown suspension x 40mm, gold and enamel, minor enamel damage, with rosette on riband and top gold riband buckle g) St Jean d´Acre Medal 1840, silver, unnamed, original suspension piercing plugged, with later swivel ring suspension h) Turkish Crimea, Sardinian die, Hunt & Roskill issue, unnamed, original suspension piercing plugged, with later swivel ring suspension, all medals mounted in silver cases, with lunettes, the cases named as described, generally good very fine or better, mounted for display in glazed frame, together with a large framed and glazed portrait photograph of the recipient, and the following official documents &c.: - Bestowal Document for the Order of the Bath, G.C.B., dated 21.6.1887, together with College of Arms enclosure, dated 30.9.1887 - Warrant dispensing with the ceremony of Investiture for the Order of the Bath, G.C.B., dated 5.9.1887, together with College of Arms enclosure, dated 30.9.1887 - College of Arms letter relating to the award of the G.C.B., dated 7.4.1888 - Bestowal Document for the Order of the Bath, K.C.B., dated 2.6.1877, together with College of Arms enclosure, dated 3.7.1877 - Letters and documents from the College of Arms regarding the return of Admiral of the Fleet Sir Houston Stewart´s G.C.B. Collar and Badge appendant, dated 3.3.1876 - Warrant appointing the recipient Comptroller of Her Majesty´s Navy, dated 29.4.1872, together with Admiralty enclosure, dated 24.4.1872 - Letter from the Lords Commissioners of the Admiralty confirming the recipient´s retirement, dated 31.3.1885 - Letter from the Lords Commissioners of the Admiralty granting the recipient an annual pension of £300, dated 10.10.1894 - Four Paymaster-General´s Office documents concerning the recipient´s pension, dated 1896-1901 - Passport, given at Dresden, dated 16.5.1896, and named to Admiral Sir W. Houston Stewart, G.C.B., British Subject - Two envelopes addressed to the recipient - A large selection of photocopied newspaper cuttings, concerning the recipient´s death (8) Estimate £ 4,000-4,500 G.C.B. London Gazette 21.6.1887 Admiral Sir William Houston Stewart, K.C.B. K.C.B. London Gazette 2.6.1877 Rear-Admiral William Houston Stewart, C.B. C.B. London Gazette 10.7.1855 Captain William Houston Stewart, R.N. Order of the Medjidieh, 4th Class London Gazette 3.4.1858 Captain William Houston Stewart, C.B. Admiral Sir William Houston Stewart, G.C.B., born Kirkmichael, Ayrshire, September 1821, the third son of Admiral of the Fleet Sir Houston Stewart, G.C.B.; entered the Navy as a Midshipman in H.M.S. Tweed, April 1835, and saw service during the Carlist War 1836-37, where he frequently landed on the north coast of Spain as Aide-de-Camp to his Captain and with the Royal Marine Battalion; transferred H.M.S. Carysfort, 1837; present during operations on and off the coast of Syria, 1840, and at the bombardment of the Fort at St. John d´Acre; took command of a boat and was Mentioned in Despatches for his judgment and gallantry at the bombardment of the fortress of Gebail; again took command of a boat and was twice grazed and severely contused by musket balls at the attack on Tortosa; Promoted Mate, H.M.S. Illustrious, April 1841; Commissioned Lieutenant, H.M.S. Volage, June 1842, serving in the West Indies. Whilst aboard H.M.S. Superb, refitting in Plymouth, he jumped overboard, nearly at the cost of his own life, to save that of a Marine, for which gallant action he received the thanks of the Royal Humane Society on vellum; Commander, May 1848; commanded H.M.S. Virago in retaking the revolted Chilean colony of Sandy Point, in the Straits of Magellan, bringing the Garrison prisoners to Valparaiso, and releasing the American barque Florida and the British brigantine Eliza Cornish with freight of dollars and silver ore; for this action Commander Stewart received the thanks of the French, American, and Chilean governments. Captain, July 1854, and commanded H.M.S. Firebrand during the Crimea War; Mentioned in Despatches for the bombardment of Sebastopol, where he was wounded; transferred to the Baltic operations, 1855, commanded H.M.S. Dragon, and at the bombardment of Sveaborg was in charge of a division of gunboats and mortar boats, and Mentioned in Despatches for ´conspicuous zeal and ready resource´. Appointed Captain-Superintendent of Chatham Dockyard, 1863-68; Rear-Admiral, April 1870; Superintendent at Devonport, 1870-72; transferred to Portsmouth, 1872-73; joined the Admiralty at Whitehall as Comptroller of the Navy, 1873-81; promoted Vice-Admiral, November 1876; Admiral, November 1881; appointed Commander in Chief at Devonport, 1881-84. Admiral Stewart retired, March 1885, and died, November 1901. His only son, Lieutenant Houston Stewart, R.N., was killed at the Battle of Tamaai, 13.3.1884, during the Egyptian and Soudanese Campaign.

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£4,800