The Tom May Collection -British Singles

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Lot 2003    Session 7 (11.30am Wednesday)    The Tom May Collection -British Singles

Estimate $1,000
Bid at live.noble.com.au
SOLD $800

NAVAL GENERAL SERVICE MEDAL 1793-1840, - clasp - St.Vincent. T.P.Cooke. Renamed, impressed. Very fine.

On roll as 3439 Thomas P Cook, St Vincent 14/3, Boy 3rd Class, Raven. The sea battle of St Vincent was fought off the coast of Portugal between fifteen British and twenty eight Spanish 'Ships of the Line' in March 1797. Despite the odds against them, the British under Admiral Sir John Jervis won a decisive victory that gave them much better access to the Mediterranean. Nelson played a major part of the action however accompanying the fleet of battle ships were seven relatively unheralded frigates and sloops as support ships. On board the smallest sloop, the HMS Raven, served a young sailor named Thomas Potter Cooke, 3rd Class, an eleven year old whose duties during battle included carrying gunpowder from the magazine to the gun positions. Thomas Potter (Tippy) Cooke was born in 1786, the son of a surgeon. When his father died in 1796 the ten year old Thomas volunteered for service in the Royal Navy and was soon serving on HMS Raven a newly commissioned sloop. The next year he found himself in the action at St Vincent. After this battle, Admiral Sir John Jervis (now Earl St Vincent) transferred his flag to a newly commissioned gun ship, Ville de Paris. Coincidentally the young sailor, T P Cooke, also transferred to the same ship. In March 1802 there was a pause in the war after the British accepted Napoleon's offer of conditional peace. During this period of quiet, young Thomas took the opportunity to gain his release from naval service and by 1804 had embarked on a new career as an actor. He was soon very popular with the audiences in the theatres of the day such as Covent Garden and the Surrey, particularly his rendition of nautical themes what with his athletic six foot frame and naval experience behind him. Meanwhile, after many years of discussion, a Naval General Service Medal was finally authorized by Queen Victoria in 1847 to be issued to survivors at that date for various actions between 1793 and 1840. Of those involved in the Battle of St Vincent only 348 claimants were registered and of the total of 121 crew on board the Raven, only Thomas Cooke was listed to receive the Naval General Service Medal with clasp St Vincent. Thomas Cooke's acting career prospered into his seventies. During his career on the stage he portrayed the lead in The Life of Nelson, Cpt Van Decken in the Flying Dutchman and created the monster in the original version of Mary Shelley's famous Frankenstein. In 1857 he appeared in a series of short plays in aid of Actors' Benefit organized by Charles Dickens. Cooke passed away in 1864 at the age of 78 and a prominent theatre critic of the day described him as 'The best sailor that ever trod the stage.' With an article, 'The Battle of St Vincent and Three Medals (and 'The Best Sailor that Ever Trod the Stage'), by Tom May published in Australasian Coin & Banknote, May 2008, pp64-66. Ex Tom May Collection.

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Adjacent lots

  • Lot 2001  

    DISTINGUISHED FLYING CROSS (GRI). Unnamed. In case of issue, uncirculated.

    Estimate $1,500

  • Lot 2002  

    NAVAL GENERAL SERVICE MEDAL 1793-1840, - clasp - 1 June 1794. William White. Impressed. Suspender ...

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  • Lot 2003   This lot

    NAVAL GENERAL SERVICE MEDAL 1793-1840, - clasp - St.Vincent. T.P.Cooke. Renamed, impressed. Very fine.

    Estimate $1,000

  • Lot 2004  

    NAVAL GENERAL SERVICE MEDAL 1793-1840, - clasp - Nile. Thomas Tyrrell. Impressed. Very fine.

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  • Lot 2005  

    NAVAL GENERAL SERVICE MEDAL 1793-1840, - clasp - Copenhagen 1801. R.Holman, Midshipman. Impressed. Edge bump, ...

    Estimate $3,000