Baldwin's of St. James's
Auction 10 22 Sep 2017
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Foreign Coins and Medals, Australia, Sydney, Halloran School, large silver prize medal, 1819, engraved by Samuel Clayton, and signed 'S. Clayton Del et Sculpt', awarded to Robert Campbell, Minerva stands with shield and spear, an owl at her feet, holding the hand of a young student, who holds an open book, beyond steps lead up to the temple of Fame and a church, legend on scroll above, ARDUA PRIMA VIA EST; SED FIT LABOR IPSE VOLUPTAS, rev. legend in 10 lines: INGENUO, MAGNÆQUE SPEI ADOLESCENTI Robertus Campbell, PROPTER INSIGNES IN ARTIBUS PROGRESSUS, SIGNUM HOC HONORARIUM DEDIT PRÆCEPTOR EJUS, ET AMICUS, Laurentius Halloran SS.T.P. 1819 [To Robert Campbell a worthy young man of great promise, his teacher and friend Lawrence Halloran, SS.T.P. gave this award for distinguished progress in his studies – 1819], 73mm., set within a narrow plain border, suspension loop and ring, good very fine, extremely rare, the earliest of the surviving Halloran medals, being from the first year of its issue and an important work by one of Australia's best known early silversmiths
*ex Watts Collection
ex Baldwin's vault
The most recent example of a Halloran School medal to be seen on the market was that awarded to Henry Halloran, the son of the school's founder (ex Leslie Carlisle Collection, Noble Numismatics, Sydney, 22-25 November, 2016, lot 3599). Prior to that the medal was awarded in 1824 to John D. Tawell (Morton & Eden, 6 December, 2009, lot 351 [USA buyer]). Another similar medal, awarded in 1823 to William M. Campbell (no relation to Robert), was sold at auction in 2008 (Noble Numismatics, Melbourne, 22-24 July 2008, lot 705 [Dr. John Chapman Collection]; previously Spink Australia, Sale 24, lot 1018; now Private Collection). Noble also sold a medal awarded in 1826 to Joshua Frey Josephson (Melbourne, 8-10 July, 1998, lot 2898). Other medals are known to John Wild, 1820 (private collection); Francis Lord 1822 (Caroline Simpson Collection, Historic Houses Trust of NSW, Sydney); and Charles Driver, 1822 (awarded 1822 but medal dated 1823, Powerhouse Museum).
The engraver: Samuel Clayton was born in Dublin in 1783 and, with his siblings, was trained as an engraver by their father. He was found guilty of forgery and tranported to New South Wales aboard the Surrey, to serve a seven year sentence. Almost immediately he engraved the banknotes for the Bank of New South Wales, a bank of which he was later to become a proprietor 1816 (see Grimshaw, M E, in Proceedings of the Silver Society, London, 1984).
The recipient: Robert Campbell (1804-1859), was the second son of Robert and Sophia Campbell. At the age of 6 he was sent to England and educated in London at a school in Pimlico, but he returned to Australia in 1819, in time to enrol at Dr. Halloran's school and receive his medal at Christmas, 1819. He joined the family firm established by his father, also Robert, and became a partner in 1827. From the age of 18 he was a Freemason and was later installed as the first provincial Scottish Grand Master of the Province of Australia. He became active and successful in the politics of ending transportation (Australian Dictionary of Biography, Vol I, 1966).
The schoolmaster: Laurence Hynes Halloran (1765-1831) led a life that would be hard to invent. Born in Co. Meath, Ireland, he was orphaned at a young age, then educated at Christ's Hospital. Whilst it seems he did eventually receive a doctorate in Divinity from King's College, Aberdeen (1800), he was never the Anglican clergyman he claimed to be. His early career in the navy was halted when he jailed for stabbing a colleague to death and, though later acquitted, litigation became a feature of his life. Married for the first time, he settled in Alphington, near Exeter, and ran private schools. Miss Grimshaw publishes a medal of 1794, by the silversmiths H. & J. Sweet of Exeter that surely must be the inspiration for the Sydney medal (Silver Medals, Badges and Trophies from Schools in the British Isles 1550-1850, Cambridge, p. 21). Halloran was respected as an educator despite being charged with immorality and in 1796 the Alphington school was closed through insolvency.
He rejoined the navy, now as a chaplain and, as Secretary to Lord Northesk, third in command (after Nelson and Collingwood) at Trafalgar and was present at the battle on board HMS Britannia. His appointment as Chaplain to HM Forces in the Cape started well but his past was to catch up with him and having then published some highly libellous poems he was sent back to England in 1811 where he remained for the next 8 years. Finding it impossible to get work he forged accreditation documents appointing him a as a curate. He was charged, found guilty and transported to Australia (like Samuel Clayton, for 7 years), arriving in Sydney on board the Baring in June 1819. With the support of the Vice-Regal Secretary, John Thomas Campbell (whom he had known in South Africa), and Major-General Lachlan Macquarie, CB (fifth and last autocratic Governor of New South Wales, 1810 to 1821), he was able to open his school without delay. His success as a schoolmaster, rather than the amazing details of his private life, led to the production of this high quality prize medal within a space of just six months. In 1825 Halloran's school became the Sydney Free Public Grammar School, now Sydney Grammar School.
References: Australian Dictionary of Biography, Vol I, 1966; Grimshaw, M E, 'Laurence Halloran: schoolmaster, naval chaplain and convict', Cambridge Numismatic Society. 19.9.1988). Further internet research is included with the lot. (14000-18000 GBP)
*ex Watts Collection
ex Baldwin's vault
The most recent example of a Halloran School medal to be seen on the market was that awarded to Henry Halloran, the son of the school's founder (ex Leslie Carlisle Collection, Noble Numismatics, Sydney, 22-25 November, 2016, lot 3599). Prior to that the medal was awarded in 1824 to John D. Tawell (Morton & Eden, 6 December, 2009, lot 351 [USA buyer]). Another similar medal, awarded in 1823 to William M. Campbell (no relation to Robert), was sold at auction in 2008 (Noble Numismatics, Melbourne, 22-24 July 2008, lot 705 [Dr. John Chapman Collection]; previously Spink Australia, Sale 24, lot 1018; now Private Collection). Noble also sold a medal awarded in 1826 to Joshua Frey Josephson (Melbourne, 8-10 July, 1998, lot 2898). Other medals are known to John Wild, 1820 (private collection); Francis Lord 1822 (Caroline Simpson Collection, Historic Houses Trust of NSW, Sydney); and Charles Driver, 1822 (awarded 1822 but medal dated 1823, Powerhouse Museum).
The engraver: Samuel Clayton was born in Dublin in 1783 and, with his siblings, was trained as an engraver by their father. He was found guilty of forgery and tranported to New South Wales aboard the Surrey, to serve a seven year sentence. Almost immediately he engraved the banknotes for the Bank of New South Wales, a bank of which he was later to become a proprietor 1816 (see Grimshaw, M E, in Proceedings of the Silver Society, London, 1984).
The recipient: Robert Campbell (1804-1859), was the second son of Robert and Sophia Campbell. At the age of 6 he was sent to England and educated in London at a school in Pimlico, but he returned to Australia in 1819, in time to enrol at Dr. Halloran's school and receive his medal at Christmas, 1819. He joined the family firm established by his father, also Robert, and became a partner in 1827. From the age of 18 he was a Freemason and was later installed as the first provincial Scottish Grand Master of the Province of Australia. He became active and successful in the politics of ending transportation (Australian Dictionary of Biography, Vol I, 1966).
The schoolmaster: Laurence Hynes Halloran (1765-1831) led a life that would be hard to invent. Born in Co. Meath, Ireland, he was orphaned at a young age, then educated at Christ's Hospital. Whilst it seems he did eventually receive a doctorate in Divinity from King's College, Aberdeen (1800), he was never the Anglican clergyman he claimed to be. His early career in the navy was halted when he jailed for stabbing a colleague to death and, though later acquitted, litigation became a feature of his life. Married for the first time, he settled in Alphington, near Exeter, and ran private schools. Miss Grimshaw publishes a medal of 1794, by the silversmiths H. & J. Sweet of Exeter that surely must be the inspiration for the Sydney medal (Silver Medals, Badges and Trophies from Schools in the British Isles 1550-1850, Cambridge, p. 21). Halloran was respected as an educator despite being charged with immorality and in 1796 the Alphington school was closed through insolvency.
He rejoined the navy, now as a chaplain and, as Secretary to Lord Northesk, third in command (after Nelson and Collingwood) at Trafalgar and was present at the battle on board HMS Britannia. His appointment as Chaplain to HM Forces in the Cape started well but his past was to catch up with him and having then published some highly libellous poems he was sent back to England in 1811 where he remained for the next 8 years. Finding it impossible to get work he forged accreditation documents appointing him a as a curate. He was charged, found guilty and transported to Australia (like Samuel Clayton, for 7 years), arriving in Sydney on board the Baring in June 1819. With the support of the Vice-Regal Secretary, John Thomas Campbell (whom he had known in South Africa), and Major-General Lachlan Macquarie, CB (fifth and last autocratic Governor of New South Wales, 1810 to 1821), he was able to open his school without delay. His success as a schoolmaster, rather than the amazing details of his private life, led to the production of this high quality prize medal within a space of just six months. In 1825 Halloran's school became the Sydney Free Public Grammar School, now Sydney Grammar School.
References: Australian Dictionary of Biography, Vol I, 1966; Grimshaw, M E, 'Laurence Halloran: schoolmaster, naval chaplain and convict', Cambridge Numismatic Society. 19.9.1988). Further internet research is included with the lot. (14000-18000 GBP)