Military medal for the Regimental Medal of the 48th (Northhamptonshire) Foot
Object No. 89/1502
Military medal, Regimental Medal of the 48th (Northamptonshire) Foot, awarded to Thomas Hewit, silver, Samuel Clayton, New South Wales, Australia / Great Britain, 1819
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Summary
Physical Description
Military medal, Regimental Medal of the 48th (Northamptonshire) Foot, awarded to Thomas Hewit, silver, NSW/Great Britain, 1819. Silver engraved medal with a raised rim, silver loop suspended on a hinged swivel, obverse: image of a crown with '48' inscribed under, banner inscribed "THO.s HEWIT"/1819" around the bottom section of the circumference,"NORTHAMPTONSHIRE" reverse: inscribed centrally with legend, with laurel wreath surround, "Talavera,/Albuera,/Rodrigo,/Badajos,/Salamanca,a,ittoria,/Pyrenees,/Nivelle,/Orthes,/Toulouse."
DIMENSIONS
Height
50 mm
Diameter
37 mm
PRODUCTION
Notes
Medal possibly made in England and engraved in NSW, Australia Date inscribed on medal
HISTORY
Notes
Awarded for service to Thomas Hewit, of the 48th Northamptonshire Foot, for service in the Peninsular campaign. The 48th served in NSW 1817-1824. The 48th Regiment of Foot (Northamptonshire) served on the Australian Station from 1817 to 1824. During this period this Regimental Medal was issued (in 1819) to those men who had served in the Peninsula War against Napoleon. It is the first military medal to have been issued in Australia and this particular specimen is engraved by the well known Sydney silversmith and engraver, Samuel Clayton. The recipient, Thomas Hewitt, was a clarinettist of note and often attended musical evenings at Government House in Macquarie's time at which he accompanied performances by Mrs Macquarie. He returned with his family to England for discharge in 1822. He was discharged on a pension of 1/12/2d per day, as a result of 'Pulmonary affection from playing the bassoon'. Lung problems are commonly experienced by players of wind and brass instruments. - From Sydney Mint Museum label written by curator, Major HP (Pat) Boland, c1982
SOURCE
Credit Line
Purchased with the assistance of Westpac Banking Corporation and the Government Insurance Office of New South Wales, 1989
Acquisition Date
21 November 1989
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