Gold Carpathia medal list

ihavecoins

ihavecoins

Member
There were six gold medals publicly documented. I suspect these 6 were all engraved. 14 total were awarded out.
one each for:
1.Capt. Rostron - Left his Medal on the ship when it sunk.
2.Chief Engineer Johnson,
3.Surgeon Frank E. McGee,
4.Ernest. G. F. Brown, R. N. R., purser; ++Engraved/sold by Bourne end auction
5. Chief Steward Evan Henry Hughes, His was engraved.
6. Second Engineer Marshall.
**7. Roth (not sure who) sold for $55,000
**8. Second Officer James Bisset sold for 41,000 -Name on Medal-Bisset later became Commodore of the Cunard line and the author of several books
**9. First officer Horace John Dean - Name engraved on Medal
**10. Thomas William Hankinson (name given by Thorsten) Name on Medal
??? 11 ?? Marconi was given a gold medal by titanic survivors
???12?? Geoffrey Barnish - titanic medal or medal of honor?

I found that there was an engraver on site the day of the presentation. If you were not present for the presentation by the Titanic Survivors then the medals were mailed to you. Not engraved.

I'm looking to find the name of the recipient of the gold medal in my possession. I purchased it through a descendent living in the Boston area. I believe it may have been given to someone of Irish decent possibly from Cork, Ireland.

I want to find the heritage of the medal before sending it to a new home either through private sale or auction.

feel free to email me. rod@ihavecoins.com
 

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Hi Rod,

Don't quote me on this as I haven't checked tonight, but there is no way Rostron's own medal went down with the Carpathia and was lost. He wasn't in command of the Carpathia when it was sunk.

I believe from memory Rostron's medal is in the Liverpool Maritime Museum.

I perhaps can add to some of your missing details tomorrow.

Cheers,

Julian
 
Julian Atkins said:
Don't quote me on this as I haven't checked tonight, but there is no way Rostron's own medal went down with the Carpathia and was lost. He wasn't in command of the Carpathia when it was sunk.
Click to expand...

It was stated that there was a display cabinet around the 1st class pursers office (if my memory is right) which had some artefacts from that night, including ropes and parts from Titanic lifeboats as well as the loving cup given to Captain Rostron and that all went down with Carpathia. As we know the loving cup was not aboard when it sunk, I think the same can be said about his medal.
 
Ioannis Georgiou said:
The senior assistant to the doctor a Gottlieb Rencher got also a medal in gold.
I might have a few other names but would need to look up though my stuff.
Click to expand...
Any help is very much appreciated! My guess (just a guess) is people who supported the effort may have been given gold medals from other ships in the fleet, or civilians. I have no proof, but I suspect. Thank you in advance for your time.
 
What you have is one of the other gold medals.

Rostron's Congress gold medal is definitely in the Liverpool Maritime Museum.

I haven't been too well today, but will add some more details when I feel better
 
Hi Rod,

The following is from Eric Clements' biography of Rostron.

The Titanic Survivors Commitee ordered gold, silver, and bronze medals (and also 1 silver loving cup).

The New York Times reported 30th May 1912 that of the Committee's medals , Rostron plus Carpathia's Chief and second engineers, first class doctor, purser and chief steward received gold medals, whilst the ship's other officers received silver medals and the crew awarded bronze medals.

However, Bisset did receive a gold medal as a pic of it is in 'Tramps and Ladies' (one volume of his biography).

26th June 1912 Rostron was presented with a gold medal from the Liverpool Shipwreck and Humane Society.

1st March 1913 the Congressional Gold Medal presented to Rostron by President Taft.

Bisset was second officer. Purser was E F G Brown. Chief Engineer was Alexander Johnstone. 1st class doctor was Dr Frank McGee.

Barnish was 4th officer, Dean was 1st officer, and Hankinson was chief officer.

(Rostron also received many other awards).

There appears to be some question mark about the Titanic Survivors Committee's gold medals as awarded to officers of the Carpathia and what wireless operator Harold Cottam got if anything as a medal.
 
Last edited:
My current progress....
There were at least six gold medals publicly documented. I suspect these 6 were all engraved.
one engraved and handed out on site of the presentation each for:
1.Capt. Rostron - located in a London museum.
2.Chief Engineer Alexander Johnstone
3.First Class Surgeon Dr. Frank E. McGee
4.Ernest. G. F. Brown, R. N. R., purser; ++Engraved/sold by Bourne end auction
5. Chief Steward Evan Henry Hughes, His was engraved.
6. Second Engineer Marshall.
7. Roth (not sure who) sold for $55,000
8. First officer Horace John Dean - Name on Medal
9. Second Officer James Bisset sold for 41,000 -Name on Medal-Bisset later became Commodore of the Cunard line and the author of several books
-pic of it is in 'Tramps and Ladies' (one volume of his biography)
10. Chief Officer -Thomas William Hankinson- Name on Medal
??? 11 ?? Marconi was given a gold medal by titanic survivors
12. 4th Officer- Geoffrey Barnish
???13??? Gottlieb Rencher ships doctor.
14??? wireless operator Harold Cottam got if anything as a medal (Silver or bronze?)
-He was a personal friend of the Titanic's junior wireless operator and survivor Harold S. Bride (22) of London.
15.?? Joseph Woostnam - gold?
 
Barnish rammed and sunk a U boat in WW1 same as Lightholler did whilst in command in the RNR.

Eric Rees became commodore in WW2 of convey PQ-14 and died in tragic circumstances that have probably only been properly researched in recent years.

One can perhaps take a view that the Cunard Line had, on The Carpathia, a very talented crew, led by a Captain with some oddities, but who was extremely well regarded and respected.

What happened to all the Titanic Survivors Committee medals , that I consider they all deserved, is a subject for further research; as is the stories of the other officers apart from Rostron and Bisset which is already well documented or self serving!
 
Question: Why is Gottlieb Rencher not listed on this site as part of the crew of the Carpathia? Curious as he's my grandmother's uncle and was responsible for bringing her over from Austria just before WWII. He reportedly helped John Jacob Astor's pregnant widow from the life boat and had her life jacket. So why wouldn't he be listed on the crew list? Thank you!
 
ihavecoins said:
There were six gold medals publicly documented. I suspect these 6 were all engraved. 14 total were awarded out.
one each for:
1.Capt. Rostron - Left his Medal on the ship when it sunk.
2.Chief Engineer Johnson,
3.Surgeon Frank E. McGee,
4.Ernest. G. F. Brown, R. N. R., purser; ++Engraved/sold by Bourne end auction
5. Chief Steward Evan Henry Hughes, His was engraved.
6. Second Engineer Marshall.
**7. Roth (not sure who) sold for $55,000
**8. Second Officer James Bisset sold for 41,000 -Name on Medal-Bisset later became Commodore of the Cunard line and the author of several books
**9. First officer Horace John Dean - Name engraved on Medal
**10. Thomas William Hankinson (name given by Thorsten) Name on Medal
??? 11 ?? Marconi was given a gold medal by titanic survivors
???12?? Geoffrey Barnish - titanic medal or medal of honor?

I found that there was an engraver on site the day of the presentation. If you were not present for the presentation by the Titanic Survivors then the medals were mailed to you. Not engraved.

I'm looking to find the name of the recipient of the gold medal in my possession. I purchased it through a descendent living in the Boston area. I believe it may have been given to someone of Irish decent possibly from Cork, Ireland.

I want to find the heritage of the medal before sending it to a new home either through private sale or auction.

feel free to email me. rod@ihavecoins.com
Click to expand...
The only one known to be authenticated
 

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I don’t know what the exact point is that you are trying to make, unless I have misread things.

Without provenance, I don’t think that your above post adds anything to the ‘medal’ in your possession.

I’m not aware of replica copies being made, but I think you ought to get the metal contained in your medal examined (very easy to do these days) against a known verified original with provenance.

The box should also be verified and checked.

What appears to be a brass safety pin seems a bit odd. Perhaps not original, and the top of the ribbon seems a bit odd. I can only go by WW1, and WW2 family medals in my possession since 2023. That’s all UK army stuff. And I am not in any sense an expert on medals.

I think you ought to contact Aldridges auction house in the UK.
 

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