Victoria, large bronze named ‘Charles Southerden Wreck of the “Franc Sicard” on the 27th November 1881’. The French fishing lugger Franc Picard became stranded near the Coastguard station at Jury’s Gap on 27 November 1881. Southerden served as an assistant to the rocket party during the rescue: Walter Warren and Charles Southerden received the SGM in silver and bronze respectively for their assistance to the crew (the award being announced in the Belfast News-Letter, Monday 2 January 1882, p. 8, among other papers). (See Larn & Larn 1995, II(3), Renno, (2002, 206), Alan Tyler’s Romney Shipwrecks (2006), and Lloyd’s List no 21088:29.11.1881.) The medals were ordered from the Royal Mint on 30 December 1881, though had to be returned as the vessel was misspelled as ‘Franc Sikard’. Interestingly, the current medal has yet another spelling of the vessel’s name!
Charles Southerden was born in Rosendale, Jury’s Gap, on 6 March 1848, the son of John Southerden (1816-1868) and grandson of Charles Wittwer (‘Hookey’) Southerden (1793-1875), who apparently lost his hand as a smuggler in an encounter with Coastguards and subsequently became the source of Charles Dickens character Captain Cuttle in 'Dombey and Son'. He appears on the 1881 census as a fisherman, living at Jury’s Gap, Broomhill, Rye. In 1887 he married Agnes Cooper Procter (1864-1940) (Elham, Kent Register District, July-Sept quarter, 1887, vol. 2a, p. 1533). Charles Southerden died in Rye on 26 July 1906 (Rye Register District, July-Sept quarter, vol 2b, p 1). A relative and namesake, Charles Southerden, was one of 17 men who drowned in the 15 November 1928 Rye Harbour ‘Mary Stanford’ lifeboat disaster. For the family tree see:
Link. NEF. £525.
