Baldwin & Sons
Auction 101 28 September 2016
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ORDERS, DECORATIONS AND MILITARY MEDALS, Campaign Groups and Pairs, An Extremely Rare Pairing of "Father and Son" Naval General Service Officers Medals awarded to Lieutenant-Colonel Henry John Murton, Royal Marines, recipient of a Sword of Honour from the Lloyds Patriotic Fund for Gallantry for his role in the cutting out of the Schooner Giganta at Viega, and to his son Lieutenant Henry Fortescue Murton, Royal Marines, comprising Naval General Service Medal, 1793-1840, single clasp, Egypt (H.J. Murton R.M.), the initials erased and engraved, surname and rank officially impressed; Naval General Service Medal, 1793-1840, single clasp Navarino (H.F. Murton, Lieut R.M.), the initials erased and engraved, surname and rank officially impressed. One or two tiny marks and minor nicks to first, otherwise good very fine, toned, the second with occasional small marks and reverse rim nicks, generally very fine, lightly toned. (2)
Lieutenant Colonel Henry John Murton, Royal Marines, was commissioned as a 2nd Lieutenant 1 May 1798 and led a distinguished career. As recorded in Hart's Army list for 1851: "Lt. Col. Murton served in the North Sea and Helder expedition, 1799, served in the Egyptian Expedition {aboard HMS Rodney} and the East Indies, 1801; in the West Indies, slightly wounded 1804, on the coast of France engaged with an enemy Flotilla in 1805; the Mediterranean in 1806 cutting out enemy vessels from under the Batteries, and was voted a Sword from the Patriotic Fund; the Coast of Spain aiding the Guerrillas; served in Holland 1813, Medal for service in Egypt". He retired on Full Pay 12 February 1842 and died at Brompton (Chatham) January 1854. Also entitled to the Sultan's Gold Medal for Egypt.
The inscription of his Lloyds Sword reads: "From the Patriotic Fund a Lloyds to Lieut. H.L. (Henry John) Murton of the Royal Marines HMS Renommee for his Gallant Conduct in the Command of the Marines Employed in Boarding & Carrying the Spanish Schooner Giganta of 9 Guns & 38 Men under the Batteries of the Town and Tower of Viega 4 May 1806". This sword appeared on the market in 1996 and 2003, being originally sold by Sotheby's in 1966, just months prior to the medals.
His son, Lieutenant Henry Fortescue Murton, Royal Marines, served at the Battle of Navarino aboard HMS Asia. He appears to have resigned from further naval service as a result of a conflict between himself and Captain William Wise, whilst serving on HMS Thunderer, stemming from a perceived act of indiscipline. For this, Captain Wise ordered Second Lieutenant Murton to keep the first watch (8.00pm to Midnight) whilst in Port in Malta. As Royal Marine Officers were not usually expected to keep watch, this order angered Murton who promptly offered his resignation, which equally promptly seems to have been accepted – as he was shipped home. In June 1834, his father, then Captain H J Murton, wrote an appeal for reinstatement, which was apparently unsuccessful. Research appears to show that rather curiously; he died at Waco, Texas, in April 1880, aged just 44 years.
The hypothesis which has been drawn by previous cataloguers is that both medals must have been issued as "H. Murton, Lieut R.M." (A coincidence between their ranks and medal entitlement at the time of issue) and that the recipients had their initials added subsequently to distinguish clearly between father and son. As such, the NGS roll showing entitlement only to H J Murton (a unique surname) for a two clasp NGS for Egypt and Navarino, with both awards shown in the rank of Second Lieutenant for actions many years apart, can only be erroneous.
Sold with a quantity of detailed research, including a photocopy of Lt Colonels "Memorial" letter of petition including further details on his son's career. This suggests that when sold in July 1966, the lot, including Lt Col Murton's Sultan's Gold Medal for Egypt, was a complete father and son family group.
ex Sotheby's, July 1966, both medals sold with a Sultan's Gold Medal for Egypt for £70.
Estimate: £5000-7000
Lieutenant Colonel Henry John Murton, Royal Marines, was commissioned as a 2nd Lieutenant 1 May 1798 and led a distinguished career. As recorded in Hart's Army list for 1851: "Lt. Col. Murton served in the North Sea and Helder expedition, 1799, served in the Egyptian Expedition {aboard HMS Rodney} and the East Indies, 1801; in the West Indies, slightly wounded 1804, on the coast of France engaged with an enemy Flotilla in 1805; the Mediterranean in 1806 cutting out enemy vessels from under the Batteries, and was voted a Sword from the Patriotic Fund; the Coast of Spain aiding the Guerrillas; served in Holland 1813, Medal for service in Egypt". He retired on Full Pay 12 February 1842 and died at Brompton (Chatham) January 1854. Also entitled to the Sultan's Gold Medal for Egypt.
The inscription of his Lloyds Sword reads: "From the Patriotic Fund a Lloyds to Lieut. H.L. (Henry John) Murton of the Royal Marines HMS Renommee for his Gallant Conduct in the Command of the Marines Employed in Boarding & Carrying the Spanish Schooner Giganta of 9 Guns & 38 Men under the Batteries of the Town and Tower of Viega 4 May 1806". This sword appeared on the market in 1996 and 2003, being originally sold by Sotheby's in 1966, just months prior to the medals.
His son, Lieutenant Henry Fortescue Murton, Royal Marines, served at the Battle of Navarino aboard HMS Asia. He appears to have resigned from further naval service as a result of a conflict between himself and Captain William Wise, whilst serving on HMS Thunderer, stemming from a perceived act of indiscipline. For this, Captain Wise ordered Second Lieutenant Murton to keep the first watch (8.00pm to Midnight) whilst in Port in Malta. As Royal Marine Officers were not usually expected to keep watch, this order angered Murton who promptly offered his resignation, which equally promptly seems to have been accepted – as he was shipped home. In June 1834, his father, then Captain H J Murton, wrote an appeal for reinstatement, which was apparently unsuccessful. Research appears to show that rather curiously; he died at Waco, Texas, in April 1880, aged just 44 years.
The hypothesis which has been drawn by previous cataloguers is that both medals must have been issued as "H. Murton, Lieut R.M." (A coincidence between their ranks and medal entitlement at the time of issue) and that the recipients had their initials added subsequently to distinguish clearly between father and son. As such, the NGS roll showing entitlement only to H J Murton (a unique surname) for a two clasp NGS for Egypt and Navarino, with both awards shown in the rank of Second Lieutenant for actions many years apart, can only be erroneous.
Sold with a quantity of detailed research, including a photocopy of Lt Colonels "Memorial" letter of petition including further details on his son's career. This suggests that when sold in July 1966, the lot, including Lt Col Murton's Sultan's Gold Medal for Egypt, was a complete father and son family group.
ex Sotheby's, July 1966, both medals sold with a Sultan's Gold Medal for Egypt for £70.
Estimate: £5000-7000