2017 Maritime Auction Preview
Brian Goodison-Blanks, Head of the Maritime and Sporting Department, previews one
of the exciting lots from the upcoming June 2017 Maritime Auction,
which will be held at our Exeter Salerooms with Live Online Bidding Support.
A Rare and Well Preserved Arctic Exploration Sledge Flag For Admiral George Richards
KCB (MA17/113).
Amongst a number of items of Polar Exploration to be included in Bearnes Hampton
& Littlewood’s next specialist Maritime Auction to be held on Wednesday, 14th
June 2017, is a rare and well preserved Arctic exploration sledge flag (Estimate
£6,000-£8,000) for Admiral George Richards CB, Commander of HMS Assistance in Sir
Edward Belcher's expedition of 1852/3/4 in search of HMS Erebus and HMS Terror of
Sir John Franklin's Lost Expedition of 1845.
The silk flag with Admiral Richard's personal heraldry comprising a lamb and
flag crest with motto Laus Deo (Praise God) in white silk on a blue reserve,
is mounted in a glazed frame with the following inscription:-
"This Banner was carried to the Arctic Regions by Admiral Richards CB, when Commander
of HMS Assistance, in Sir E Belcher's Expedition 1852/3/4 in search of the Erebus
and Terror, under Sir J Franklin. After wintering at the Head of Wellington Channel
in 76°55' N Lat it was taken, in the spring of 1853 to Melville Island and floated
on every conspicuous height discovered and having accomplished near 1,000 miles,
it was returned to HMS Assistance. Passing a second winter it was again carried
on a Sledge journey down the Channel Westward and through Barrow Straits and again
returned after a sojourn of 73 days on the Sledge. On reaching England in 1854
it was presented to Mr Barrow. When the late Expedition of 1875 was fitted out
under Capt. now Sir George Nares KCB it was carried up Smiths Sound and hoisted
on Cape Joseph Henry in Lat 83° N. On its return to England it was restored to
Mr Barrow who bequeathed it to the family of Adml Richards".
Admiral George Henry Richards was Captain of HMS Assistance under the command of
Sir Edward Belcher on the Admiralty's last and largest Expedition to search for
survivors of Sir John Franklin's Expedition of the North West Passage in 1845.
In the early winter of 1850, the Assistance and the steam tender Pioneer became
frozen in the ice off Northumberland Sound in the Wellington Channel forcing much
of the searching to be undertaken by sledge.
As sledges were man-hauled at this time by the men themselves, they were treated
in some degree as boats and each sledge named. The idea originated with Captain
Horatio Austin who whilst leading a similar search in 1850 intended that sledge
flags would "...retain esprit de corps, and a naval atmosphere,..".The
flags were usually the personal badge of the commanding officer who led the team
on foot, carrying a gun ahead of the crew for protection. A similar sledge flag
for Lieutenant Bedford Pim by Lady Franklin is held in the National Maritime Museum.
A sledge flag used by Scott on his first expedition of 1900-1904, made by his mother
hangs, in Exeter Cathedral.
- Bearnes Hampton & Littlewood
- Maritime Auction
- Arctic Exploration
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