Lot 2289

Description

Naval General Service Medal 1793-1840, - clasp - Blanche 19 July 1806. John Patterson, Asst Surgn. Impressed. Pitted, contact marks and edge bumps, otherwise fine.

Ex Downies Auction 316 (lot 601).
Only 22 'Blanche 19 July 1806' clasps were issued.
John Patterson joined Royal Navy as an Assistant Surgeon and served aboard HMS Magnanima 14Nov1805 to 24Apr1806; then served on HMS Blanche when it engaged and destroyed the French frigate Guerriers off the Faroe Islands; Patterson and many of the ship's company were made POWs on 04Mar1807 when the Blanche was wrecked off Ushant, a French island; after been exchanged or escaped Patterson returned to England and served on HMS Gloucester which he joined as Assistant Surgeon 'per warrant' on 01Apr1812; this was superseded on 18Apr1813 at the Downs; he then joined HMS Volontaire and was discharged due to invalidity 19Dec1814; after a period of rest he was warranted to HM Hospital Ship Batavier at Woolwich joining her on 13Aug1814; he was discharged to shore duty 04Aug1815; promoted to Surgeon 01Apr1816; served on HMS Sappho for 6 months and three days in 1821; served as Supernumerary Surgeon on HMS Hyperion 20May1829 to 23Mar1831; in Oct1838 requested permission to emigrate to Australia for the benefit of his health and this was granted by Captain Berkeley; in Jul1839 the Colonial Secretary in Sydney promulgated in the Government Gazette that on 01Jul1839 the New South Wales Medical Board certified that 'John Patterson, R.N. of Melbourne having submitted the necessary testimonials of qualifications, it was declared that he was entitled to be a legally qualified Medical Practitioner in terms of, and according to the provisions of the aforesaid Act.'; on 31Dec1840 Patterson requested that the address to which his 'half pay' should be sent was Melbourne, Port Phillip, New South Wales; he conducted a medical practice in Melbourne's Collins Street in the 1840s; the first election for the Melbourne Town Council was held on 01Dec1842 and John Patterson was elected as a representative for Bourke Ward.
With copy of Service Record and other research.