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Campaign medals | First issue, to 'SERJT WALTER SEARLES, 54th REGT', served on the SS 'Sarah Sands', VF, rare, £950

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Indian Mutiny medal (first issue), to 'SERJT WALTER SEARLES, 54th REGT'.

The daughter of a tailor William Searles and his wife Mary Debenham, Rhoda Searles (1808-1889) was born in Rickinghall, Suffolk, on 21 March 1808 and christened there on 29 October the following year. When she was 23 she became pregnant and gave duly birth to a son in 1831 or early 1832. He was christened Walter Searles on 29 April 1832 in Rickinghall Inferior. Two years later, on 13 October 1834, Rhoda married confectioner Benjamin Catchpole at Rickinghall Inferior and then went on to have at least seven children (Elizabeth, Eliza, Harriet, Noah, William, Joseph and Martha). The family appear to have settled in the High Street, Wortwell, Norfolk, and Walter was given Catchpole as his surname.
Relations between Walter and his step-father were possibly strained over the next few years and by 1851 Walter had reverted to using Searles as his surname and was living with his unmarried aunt, dressmaker Lydia Searles, at 91 White Horse Lane, Rickenhall Superior, and was working as a brick-maker. His mother, step-father and half-siblings was then still living in Wortwell.
On September 1852 Walter enlisted in his local unit, the 54th (West Norfolk) Regiment, and with the outbreak of the Indian Mutiny travelled out to India aboard the SS Sarah Sands, being present during the famous fire aboard that vessel on 11 November 1857. Searles subsequently saw active service in the Mutiny and in recognition of this received the Indian Mutiny Medal, his medal being impressed ‘SERJT WALTER SEARLES, 54TH REGT’. On 10 March 1865 Walter transferred to the Unattached List. The 54th regiment returned to England in April 1866. Searles appeared before a Regimental Board at Chatham on 25 April 1874, which approved his discharge, this finally taking place on 5 May 1874.

Back in England Walter’s mother and stepfather were struggling financially and were being supported by the parish during 1861. Benjamin Catchpole died early the following year, sometime after which Rhoda moved to Alburgh. She appears there during 1871, where she was working as a tailoress. Returning to Wortwell by 1881, she lived in Bungay Road where she continued working as a tailoress, very likely until her death in 1889.

Having retired from the army, Walter lived in lodgings at 47 Rowse Wood Street, Woolwich, during 1881. He appears ten years later, in 1891, in lodgings at 3 Pellipar Road, Woolwich. By 1901 Searles had moved to 35 London Road, Redenhall with Harleston, Norfolk, where he lived with his unmarried half-sister Martha Catchpole (1850-1914) and niece Emma Catchpole (then aged 23). Martha had spent much of her adult years in service in London, working as a maid. Martha and Walter later moved to Hope Villa, Harleston (1911 census), and it was here, on 13 September 1911, that Walter Searles died from Lobar Pneumonia. Martha was with him at the time and registered his death that same day.

Sold with copies of his service papers, census, bmd certificates, etc. Medals to survivors of the burning of the Sarah Sands are very scarce. This medal in VF condition, the suspension at some time resoldered, with original ribbon and buckle; rare, £950