Watch List notes:

Military General Service, 1793-1814, 5 clasps, Vittoria, Pyrenees, Nive, Orthes, Toulouse (J. Eden, Lieut 71st Foot), once lightly cleaned, light marks in places, otherwise good very fine. Captain John Eden, J.P., D.L. (1794-1885) was born as John Methold in June 1794, the son of Captain Henry Methold, Durham Fencibles, of Burn Hall, Country Durham, and Dorothea Eden, the daughter of Sir John Eden (1740-1812), 4th Baronet, of Auckland, County Durham. He is believed to have been educated at Eton College and at Charterhouse School between 1806-1812, after which he joined the 71st Highland Light Infantry as an Ensign (without purchase) on 4 June 1812, being promoted to Lieutenant on 1 September 1813 – seeing service in Spain and France between April 1813 and April 1814. During the battle of Vittoria on 21st June 1813, the 71st Foot saw a good deal of fighting, suffering 318 casualties, killed or wounded. After a period of time on Half-Pay, he exchanged into the 4th Light Dragoons on 15 July 1819. He later became Captain, by purchase, in the 75th Foot (1st Gordon Highlanders), on 22 October 1824. Having apparently transferred again, he retired as Captain, this time from the 14th Light Dragoons, on 4 October 1829. In later life, and upon the death of one of his maternal uncle (Morton John Davison) in 1844 he inherited property at Beamish Park, County Durham, which required him to change his name by Royal Licence to John Eden as a condition of his inheritance. Taking on the properties at Beamish, he duly became involved the ownership and running of an important coal mine. He was made High Sheriff in 1849, and died without issue at 15 Wilton Crescent, London, on 4 April 1885, at the age of 91. Newspaper obituaries record that he was a notable local benefactor, whilst also adding that: 'He was present at the Battle of Vittoria as an Ensign...In that battle the Captain and Lieutenant of Mr Eden's company were killed, and would have shared a similar fate had it not been for a daring feat performed by a sergeant of his regiment, which was the means of saving his life. It is worthy of note that at the time of his death Mr Eden was one of the six survivors of the Peninsular war. He was also present after the battle of Waterloo at the entry into Paris in 1815.' (The Durham County Advertiser, 10 April 1885 © The British Library Board). This confirmed 5 clasp medal is a unique entitlement to the regiment. The 3rd Baronet of Maryland, Sir Frederick Morton Eden (believed to be a relation), was killed at the age of 16, on 24 December 1814, in the 'War of 1812' (1812-15). He had been attached, as an Ensign, to 85th (Bucks Volunteer) Light Infantry, but was mortally wounded at the Battle of New Orleans. Ex Glendining, 1956, Spink, 1986, Bonham's, June 1999 and C.J. Dixon, 2000.