Lot 71: Royal National Lifeboat Institution Medal, silver, Type 1 1824-62, obverse: head of King George IV facing left (Thomas Adams, Vot...

Royal National Lifeboat Institution Medal, silver, Type 1 1824-62, obverse: head of King George IV facing left (Thomas Adams, Voted 2nd Jany 1862.), good very fine, with original 'dolphin' suspension

Thomas Adams served as Captain of the smack Volunteer, his citation for the award listed jointly with Henry Bacon, Benjamin Lambeth, John Lambert, Robert Scarlett, George Wyatt (all Seaman in the Volunteer), reads, ''3 November 1861: At daybreak the South Shields barque Darius was seen to be aground on Long Sand, off Harwich, Essex, with the sea foaming around and breaking over her. The crew had taken to the rigging of the only mast left standing. At 7am, the smack Volunteer''s boat was manned and approached the wreck but could not get near, so was brought up just clear of the Sand with the smack nearby. Other vessels without sails were seen, and two smacks left the area without offering help. Two men were seen to drop from the barque''s rigging and dissapear from view and, with the breakers getting worse, Captain Adams took his smack over the sands with her boat in tow, manned by the same men and bore up as near to the wreck as he could get it. The boat made an unsuccessful run and he picked it up again. It then made another desparate attempt and succeeded in reaching the wreck. Meanwhile the smack was hove to and had barely escaped a heavy sea and striking. The barque''s Master, Chief Mate and four hands were taken off, almost senseless from cold, exposure and fatigue; three others had perished the day before in her long boat. The survivors were landed at Harwich at 7pm.''

As well as the silver medal, Adams received a telescope and 5 pounds as a reward.