A Marine 1875-78 Engraved LS&GS named to HMS Pembroke

[davidrn]

This thread seems to have lost a great deal of intrest as far as medals are concerned, so I have decided to post this to see the results.

A few months ago I noticed this medal on E-Bay, as I have a small collection of the LS&GC medal to the Royal Marines I kept an eye on its progress and was about to stop looking when it suddenly dawned on me the it was named to HMS Pembroke, only a base ship I know but it was a type that I had not seen before. I made a bid and now it resides in my collection, not a great rarity but a nice item to have.

STEWART. John, (Woolwich/Chatham Division) RM
Long Service & Good Conduct (Engraved 1875 – 1877 Issue awarded 1875) HMS Pembroke

John Stewart was born in the parish of Drury Lane in or near the Town of London in the county of Middlesex, about May 1833.

He was enlisted in Hull on the 12th January 1855 by R.M. Sergt. Charles Drysdale (who had Attested at Chatham in 1842 at the age of thirteen and served until 1869) for a bounty of £6.00
He stated that he was 21 years 8 Months old and his Trade was as a Cotton Spinner

He swore to the correctness of this before the Justice of the Peace at York who completed the Certificate of the Attesting Justice the next day Jan. 13th. Making his mark with an X as he continued to do throughout his service, he was now a private in the 88th Company, 4th Division (Woolwich) of the Royal Marines joining for a period of Twelve years.

The Colonel Commandant of his Division signed to accept him on 23rd January 1855.
He remained with the Woolwich Division until being transferred to the Chatham Division on 4th March 1869 joining the 40th Company.

On the 30th May 1869 he joined the Deal Depot until 1872 when he returned to the Chatham Division.

While at sea on HMS Arethusa, he again made his mark on 14th February 1867 to continue his service for a further Nine years.

During his entire service he remained a Private gaining a total of Five Good Conduct Badges, with his general Character on his discharge (due to length of service) being noted as Exemplary (Signed by the Colonel Commandant, Peregrine Henry Fellowes?).

His total service was of 21 years 20 days, made up of:-
8 years 324 days on Shore
12 years 61 days Afloat

During his service Afloat, he served on the following ships:-

HMS Resolute - 13th March 1856 to 4th June 1856
HMS Melampus – 5th June 1856 to 28th December 1856
HMS Renown - 3rd December 1857 to 25th September 1861
HMS Bombay – 29th March 1864 to 18th February 1865
HMS Arethusa – 16th June 1865 to 7th January 1869
Listed as Embarking on the Reserve (Sheerness) – 26th October 1872 to 31st March 1873
HMS Pembroke – 1st April 1873 to 29th January 1876


HMS Resolute - 13th March 1856 to 4th June 1856
13th March 1856 Joined HMS Resolute a store ship of 1855

(Note:- although owned by the Admiralty, she does not at this time appear to be a fully commissioned ship in the R.N. but seems to have had a civilian Master in command)
March – Still at Liverpool, completing
15th March – Sailed from Liverpool with a small detachment of Royal Artillery, plus detachments of Royal Marines, and numerous officers for various regiments
15th March – Arrived at Dublin and landed the Royal Artillery detachment
(Note: on entering the harbour she was in collision with a schooner, sinking her before going on to collide with the steamer St. Columba. The Resolute was promptly arrested on a warrant following a complaint by the owners of the steamer – released after a few days when it was ruled that as she was Crown property, the ship could not be arrested...)
23rd March – Arrived at Portsmouth
1st April – Embarked a large number of men for various ships in the Mediterranean and Black Sea, plus detachments of troops for various regiments
2nd April – Left Portsmouth sailing for the Crimea
13th April – Arrived at Malta
(late) April – Arrived in the Crimea
1st May – Sailed from Sevastopol with the 9th Regiment (the East Norfolk) embarked
8th May – Arrived at Malta– turned back to return to the Crimea
13th May –Back in the Crimea
She seems to have remained in the Black Sea until the end of July...



HMS Melampus – 5th June 1856 to 28th December 1856
5th June 1856 joined HMS Melampus a 5th Rate 46 gun sailing ship of 1820

June – Commanded by Captain John Borlase, Melampus was laying at Constantinople as a stores and receiving ship
21st August – Sailed from Constantinople to return to England
4th and 5th September – Was spent at Malta
22nd September – Arrived at Gibraltar
14th to 16th October – Was spent at Spithead
19th October – Arrived at Sheerness
28th October – Melampus paid off. She remained at Sheerness through November and December refitting.



HMS Renown - 3rd December 1857 to 25th September 1861

3rd December 1857 joined HMS Renown a 91 gun 2nd Rate Screw ship of 1857

19th November 1857 – The ship was commissioned by Captain Arthur Forbes
November to February 1858 – Was spent at Sheerness, completing.
20th February – Renown sailed for Spithead
21st Feb to 21st April – Remained at Spithead
22nd April – Sailed from Spithead in company with the Curacoa, Diadem & Racoon; Rear Admiral Sir Henry Ducie Chads embarked
24th April to 11th May - The Squadron spent in Plymouth Sound
12th May – The squadron sailed, escorting Portuguese steam corvette Bartolemeo Dias, having onboard the Queen of Portugal
19th to 29th May – Was spent at Lisbon
5th to 9th June – Was spent at Gibraltar
14th June – Arrived back at Plymouth
23rd June to 1st July – Was spent at Spithead
2nd to 21st July – Was spent taking a short cruise in the Channel with Raccoon in company
22nd July to 4th August – Remained back at Spithead
4th August – Sailed, in company with Royal Albert, Euryalus, Diadem, Curacoa and Raccoon as escorts to the Royal Yacht Victoria & Albert, with royal party embarked
5th and 6th August – At Cherbourg
8th to 25th August – Returned to Spithead
25th to 31st August – Took part in a short cruise in the Channel with Orion, Brunswick and Raccoon
1st to 12th September – Was spent at Plymouth
15th to 18th September – Was spent at Berehaven, Ireland in company with Orion, Victor Emmanuel, Brunswick & Caesar
4th October to 4th November – Returned to and remained at Plymouth
8th to 22nd November – The squadron spent in Bantry bay with other ships of the Channel Fleet
25th November – Arrived at Cork; on entering the Renown was in collision with merchant barque Phoenix
25th November to January 1859 – Was spent at Cork with the Channel Fleet
1859
9th February to 22nd April – Was spent at Berehaven, in company with other ships of the Channel Fleet
23rd April – Sailed in company with the Royal Albert, Brunswick & St Jean d’Acre
3rd May – At Gibraltar
17th May – Joined the Mediterranean Fleet at Malta
17th to 31st May – Remained at Malta
June – Visited Naples
July/August – Back at Malta
September – Cruising off Malta
October – Was spent at Malta
1st November – Sailed for Cagliari
18th November – Returned Malta
November to January 1860 – Remained at Malta
1860
February and March – Was spent at Gibraltar
22nd April – Arrived back at Malta
April to May – Remained at Malta
5th June – Sailed for Naples
June to December – Remained at Naples
1861
January and February – Was Spent at Malta
1st March – Sailed for the eastern Med
March to July – Was spent at Beirut
5th August – Left Beirut to return to Malta
12th August – Arrived back at Malta
20th August – Sailed for England; the lower gundeck guns were landed to make room for a company of Royal Engineers and their families
31st August – At Gibraltar
9th September – Arrived at Plymouth Sound – she came home under canvas, not using her engines at all
12th September – Moved into the Hamoaze
25th September – HMS Renown paid off into Reserve



HMS Bombay – 29th March 1864 to 18th February 1865

29th March 1864 joined HMS Bombay 84-gun second rate ship of the line of 1828 She was later fitted with screw propulsion in 1861.
March 1864 –Bombay was in dry dock at Chatham, fitting for sea
23rd March – Commissioned by Captain Colin Campbell
24th March – It was reported that “The Bombay, 67, 2,782 tons, 400-horse power, has been commissioned at Chatham by Capt. Colin A. Campbell (25th of March, 1863). She is to have a complement of 655 officers and men, including Royal Marines. The Bombay is intended for a flagship on the south-east coast of America”.
2nd April – Another report stated that “One hundred and seven petty officers, seamen, and lads from the flagship Fisgard yesterday left Woolwich to join the new flagship of Admiral Warren, the Bombay, at Chatham, destined for the south-east coast of America”.
8th April – It was again reported that “The Bombay, 67, 2,782 tons, 400 horse-power, Capt. C.A. Campbell, having completed fitting, was floated out of dock at Chatham yesterday afternoon, and immediately afterwards removed to Folly Point, at the entrance to the harbour, where she awaits orders from the Admiralty. The main deck armament, consisting chiefly of the 32-pounder 56-cwt. cast iron gun, was shipped on board before the Bombay was undocked, and she will now receive her 68-pounder and 10-inch guns for her lower deck. Within the last few days a number of seamen have joined the Bombay from the Formidable, 84, at Sheerness, and the Fisgard, 42, flagship at Woolwich”.

16th April – A report that “The Bombay, 67, 400-horse power, Capt. Colin A. Campbell, received her sailing orders yesterday, and will leave Chatham for the south-east coast of America on Wednesday next, calling at Spithead for final orders. The lighters went alongside yesterday, and the whole of the day will be occupied in stowing coals. The officers and crew, who have been berthed on board the receiving ship Gloucester, 50, in Chatham harbour, will join the Bombay in the next few days” Her departure was postponed as she had yet to undergo her steam Trials

23rd April – Was spent undergoing steam trials
26th April – Further steam trials were required, including measured mile (average of 10.157 knots achieved)
3rd May – Left Chatham for Plymouth
6th May – Arrived at Plymouth Sound
10th May – Sailed from Plymouth Sound for South America
July – Arrived at Rio de Janeiro
September – Was spent at Pernambuco
October – Returned to Rio de Janeiro
November to December – Was spent at Montevideo
14th December – HMS Bombay was destroyed by fire off the Flores Light, in the river Plate; the exact cause of the blaze was uncertain, but it originated in the spirit room and spread rapidly; 91 men died.
The bulk of the crew arrived home in S.S. Herschell in late January 1865; the crew were accommodated onboard the Duke of Wellington.

C. Hocking, in his “Dictionary of Disasters at Sea during the Age of Steam” Records the loss of HMS Bombay As – “The line-of Battleship Bombay, Captain Colin Campbell, was the flagship of Rear-Admiral Charles Elliot C.B., commanding the South American squadron. The ship was constructed of Teak and in 1860 had been cut in two, lengthened and converted into a screw steamship.
On the afternoon of December 22nd 1864, she was off Montevideo preparing for target practice. She was some 14 miles outside the harbour and all was ready to commence when a seaman in the shell room saw signs of fire and immediately gave the alarm.
The time was between 2 and 3 o’clock and in a very short while the ship was in flames from end to end despite the good discipline of her crew and the rapidity with which the pumps were manned.
To add to the difficulties the method of ventilation ensured that a strong current of air was always circulating through the hold by means of gratings in the partitions and through the ports between decks. This had the effect of fanning the flames until the lower part of the ship became a furnace.
Another misfortune was the bursting of the casks in the spirit room, their flaming contents being spilt all over the decks and driving back the men who were fighting the fire. The shells stowed in the lockers by the guns also began to explode and to spread destruction on the gun decks.
Three-quarters of an hour after the first alarm, the mainmast went by the board and by 5 o’clock the ship was abandoned. Two hours later the fire reached the magazine and the Bombay blew up and sank, taking with her two officers and 90 men, the greater part of whom could not swim and feared to trust themselves to the chance of being picked up by the boats.
A quantity of molten lead poured from the bows and compelled many taking refuge there to jump overboard. At the time of the disaster the Bombay had a complement of 616, The Admiral was away, having left the ship temporarily with his staff to go on board the Stromboli a few miles off”.

Rear-Admiral Elliot’s despatch was sent to the Admiralty informing them of the disaster and was passed to the press with the request for it to be published:-

H.M.S. STROMBOLI, MONTEVIDEO. DEC. 15, 1864, 8 A.M.
"Sir, - I much regret that I have to report the total loss by fire of Her Majesty's ship Bombay.
"She left this anchorage under sail at 7 a.m. yesterday, when I transferred my flag to the Triton. About 5 p.m. of the same day I received intelligence that the Bombay was on fire near the English Bank, or Mores Island, about 13 miles from this place. I immediately despatched the Stromboli to her assistance, and proceeded myself in the Triton, but so rapidly had the fire extended that the ship had been deserted long before assistance could reach them.
"The ship's company had been at general quarters in the afternoon till a little after 3 p.m., the foremost lower deck guns were then told off for divisional exercise, but firing had not commenced from them, when about 10 minutes after the retreat had been beat, fire was reported to have broken out in the after part of the ship about the after hold; the fire bell was immediately rung, and with the greatest order and promptness an abundant supply of water was obtained, but the fire appears at once to have spread with uncontrollable rapidity, which gives me the impression that it originated very close to the spirit room, and that the spirit casks must almost immediately have burst and ignited.
"At 3 35 p.m. the fire was reported. At 3 52, finding the fire was quickly gaining, the boats were hoisted out. At 4 p.m. the boats were out with the exception of the second launch, when the flames coming up the hatch ways, the awnings and sails having been burnt, rendered it impossible for men to work. The sick had already been passed into the boats, and the rest of the ship's company now followed. At a quarter-past 4 the mainmast went over the side, the boats then being scarcely clear of the ship, and many officers and men were still holding on to ropes alongside and to the fore part of the ship, and others floating on the spars, &c. Soon after the mainmast fell, the stoppers of the anchors being burnt through, the anchors fell, and it seems many men who were upon or near them must have lost their lives.
"The ship was under sail, hove to, when the fire occurred, steam not having been up.
"At 8 25 the after magazine blew up, and the ship sank in about 8 fathoms.
"Among the officers Mr. John K. Smallhorn, assistant-surgeon, is the only one missing, and who was drowned alongside.
"The French mail packet being at this moment on the point of departure I am not able to give a more detailed report; but I am endeavouring to ascertain the number and names of men missing, which, I am sorry to say, amounts to about 93; but, the boats having been picked up by vessels proceeding to different places, we cannot as yet get a correct return.

"I have the honour to be, &c.,
" CHAS. G.J. B. ELLIOT, "Rear-Admiral and Commander-in-Chief.
"To the Secretary of the Admiralty."


.
1865
6th February – The papers reported that – “The officers and men comprising the remainder of the crew of Her Majesty's late ship Bombay arrived at Portsmouth dockyard by special train from Liverpool at 1 a.m. on Saturday. The train, on arrival, passed through the terminal station of the London and South-Western and South Coast Railway Companies at Landport and finally drew up on the railway jetty in the dockyard, where the Bombay's crew alighted, and embarked immediately in boats for the three-decked training-ship Duke of Wellington, Capt. John Seccombe, to which ship they will be temporarily attached until the conclusion of the court-martial, which will assemble on board Her Majesty's ship Victory in a few days to inquire into the recent destruction of the Bombay by fire off Montevideo. Rear-Admiral Sidney Colpoys Dacres, C.B., the present Commander-in-Chief of the Channel Fleet, will most probably fill the office of President of the Court”.

8th to 17th February – The court-martial of Captain Campbell for the loss of his ship; in which he was cleared of any misconduct
19th February – Bombay’s books were officially closed and the ships company was paid off.


HMS Arethusa – 16th June 1865 to 7th January 1869

16th June 1865 joined HMS Arethusa a 4th Rate of 1849 converted to a Screw Frigate of 51 guns in 1861
June 1865 – Arethusa was in Reserve at Sheerness and was ordered to be brought forward for service
10th June - Captain Reginald MacDonald was placed in command
June and July – Was spent fitting the ship out for sea
Completion was delayed when it was found that she had several engine defects
10th August – Arethusa started to undergo post refit trials; 10.82 knots average speed achieved. On completion of the trials she anchored at the Nore but as she did so a fire was discovered. The fire was evidently near the boilers, and portions of the lower deck were cut away to allow “an abundance of water” to be poured over the seat of the fire. Numerous parties of men from nearby ships were sent assist in fire fighting, but it was an hour before it was declared safe. A subsequent enquiry established that the fire had started near the forward boilers, and was from the timber and wood surround catching fire due to the high heat “...the vessel near twelve hours steaming and the engines during that time being driven to their upmost capacity,whilst the furnaces were being fed to as much as they could consume.”
August to September – Was spent repairing at Sheerness
13th September – Undergoing post repair trials, this time without incident
18th September – Arethusa arrived Spithead
20th September – The ship sailed to join HMS Constance and Octavia to form the Experimental Squadron
21st to 30th September – Was spent at Plymouth
1st to 10th October – The ships underwent sailing trials
11th to 16th October – Was spent at Madeira
17th to 24th October – Undergoing more sailing trials
25th October – Returned to Plymouth
2nd to 15th November – Was spent at Sheerness
17th and 18th November – At Spithead
December – Sailed for Malta, remaining there until 8th January 1866
1866
10th January to 15th February - Was spent at Corfu
20th to 26th February – Remained at Malta
March and May – Was spent based at Beirut
June – Returned to Malta
July – Visited Piraeus and Athens
August – Was spent cruising in the Aegean (Smyrna – Samos – Suda Bay)
September to December – Based at Piraeus
1867
January – Visited Alexandria
February – Back at Malta
March – Was spent undergoing exercises in central Mediterranean with other ships of the fleet
April – Again Back at Malta
May to June – Based at Gibraltar
June – Captain Robert Coote assumed command
July to September – Was spent paying visits to various ports in Spain/France/Italy; Genoa and Spezia being two of the visits.
October – Returned to Malta
November to January 1868 - was Based at Piraeus
1868
February and March – Based at Malta; during this time there were several cases of smallpox onboard, including Captain Coote; all were landed to the hospital ashore
20th March to 4th April – Was spent cruising locally with a visit to Naples, Commander A'Deane being in temporary command.
April – Returned to Malta
18th April – Sailed with several other ships of the Fleet for the eastern Mediterranean
May – Visited Beirut and Rhodes
June – Back at Malta
July to September – The fleet cruise to Corfu, Trieste and Augusta
October – Visited Naples and Palermo
November – Back at Malta
26th November – Sailed for England
11th December – At Gibraltar
20th December – Arrived back at Spithead
21st December – Arrived at Sheerness
1869
7th January – Arethusa paid off into reserve


8th January 1869 rejoined the Woolwich Division

4th March 1869 Transferred to the 40th Company Chatham Division

30th May 1869 joined the Deal Depot,

26th October 1872 Joined the Reserve (recorded as Embarked) at Sheerness


HMS Pembroke 1st April 1873 to 29th January 1876
1st April 1873 Joined HMS Pembroke a 74-gun third rate ship of the line of 1812, she was fitted with screw propulsion in 1855, transferred to the Coastguard in 1858. She became the as Receiving/Base Ship for the Nore Command at Chatham and carried the flag of the Admiral Superintendent.
On the 30th January 1876 he returned to the Chatham Division Head Quarters to be discharged on 1st February 1876.

His records of service being contained at the National Archives under ADM 157/81/100 (Folios 100-103) and ADM 157/1347/80 (Folios 80-83).
I was lucky in that when I was looking to order his service papers from the National Archives (ADM 157/81/100 which gave his service as 1855 - 1876), seeing that the records for John Stewart’s covered two pages of references I paged to the end and found a second Ref. (ADM 157/1347/80 which just quoted service ending in 1876) these two sets completed his full service.

[karen]

once again a most interesting recall of life.. thankyou for posting this I thoroughly enjoyed reading it..

Karen

[davidrn]

Glad you enjoyed it Karen.

Regards Dave

[JackW1208]

Once again David, an interesting read.
The number of vessels that were damaged or sunk due to fires onboard during the 19th Century is quite alarming.

Jack.

[davidrn]

Thank you Jack
Regards Dave

[jainso31]

Another very nice(VF+)medal Dave.Excellent documentation and a good story to boot.
A fire aboard a wooden sailing ship must have been catastrophic;in as much that there was little anyone could do once the fire took hold and consumed almost everything in it's path.

jainso31

[davidrn]

Thank you jainso31,
Yes in a wooden on fire it must have been like hell
Its a shame that the medal being to a marine is only named to a base ship but its the only example that I have ever seen
Regards Dave