AN EXCEPTIONAL & VERY RARE
OFFICER'S MILITARY GENERAL SERVICE MEDAL
WITH
SEVEN CLASPS
To:
Captain T.B. Costley. 1st Bn 45th (NOTTINGHAMSHIRE) Regt of Foot.
"The Old Stubborns"
(Later "The Sherwood Foresters")
With original Gold Framed Portrait Miniature.
[THE MEDAL]
The medal is in EF+ / AU condition with its original silver claw brooch top pin. Uncleaned with original toning.
Officially impressed to:
T.B. COSTLEY, CAPt, 45th FOOT.
[THE SEVEN CLASPS]
PYRENEES
VITTORIA
SALAMANCA
BADAJOZ
CIUDAD RODRIGO
FUENTES D'ONOR
BUSACO
[THEOPHILUS BYERS COSTLEY 1788-1873]
Theophilus Byers Costley was born in Dublin Ireland in 1787. His father, John Costley died in 1806.
He joined the army in 1805 and no sooner had he put on his uniform he was shipped out to South America.
HE WAS THE LAST SURVIVING
OFFICER OF WHITLOCK'S SOUTH AMERICAN EXPEDITION,& one of the last few survivors of those men who fought the great battles under "The Iron Duke".
[INTO ACTION, ENSIGN COSTLEY'S FIRST CAMPAIGN]
In the spring of 1807 the 45th Regiment embarked for South America and took part in the disastrous British Invasion of the River Plate. It also saw action at the Second Battle of Buenos Aires in July 1807. The regiment suffered a depressing defeat which in turn led to the collapse of discipline when eleven men of the regiment completely disappeared.
However, another unit of the regiment successfully charged the enemy with the capture of two howitzers and many prisoners.
The regiment embarked for Portugal in July 1808 to serve under General Sir Arthur Wellesley in the Peninsular War.
[His promotions were]
Ensign: 9th May 1805
Lieut: 1st January 1807
Captain: 7th October 1813
[SERVICE IN THE PENINSULA]
He was present at the battle of BUSACO, wither Wellington had fallen back on the advance of French by Ciudad Rodrigo and Almeida. He served with the army in the retreat to the lines of Torres Vedras (1810), in the pursuit of Massena, in the actions Pombal Redinha, Fon d'Aronee, Garda, and Fabugal
at the battles of Fuentes d'Onoro (May 3rd,4th, and 5th, 1811), at the siege of BADAJOZ (May & June 1811), at El Badron,and Aldra di Ponti, at the siege and storm of Ciudad Rodrigo (1812) the siege, storm and escalade of BADAJOZ (March 16th to April 6th), at the Battle of Salamanca (July 22nd) , and in the advance and retreat from Madrid (November 1812) . He also served at the passage of the Elbe, at VITTORIA (June 1813) , at the blockade of Pampeluna and the battles of the Pyrenees (July 27th to 30th)
He served for seven years until his discharge on 7th October 1814 at the reduction of the army and was placed on half pay on 25th December 1814.
[St ANDREW'S CHURCH, EAST BLATCHINGTON, SUSSEX]
Immediatly after leaving the army he married his sweetheart Sarah Anne Meryweather (born 1787) of Burford, Oxfordshire at St Andrew's Church East Blatchington, Sussex in October 1814 which was just two months before he was placed in half pay. The couple originally settled in Kearnsey, Kent.
He had three older and two younger brothers and one elder & one younger sister. Three of his brothers were also officers in the British Army and one a mason. Being described as "a gentleman" on the various census returns of the period, his was clearly a wealthy family of independent financial means who accommodated various relatives and employed two female servants while resident in Torquay in 1851.
He served with the 45th (NOTTINGHAMSHIRE) Regt from 1807
until his discharge at the age of 26 in 1814. We have original Army lists for 1817 and 1845 in which Costley and his brother Charles are both listed as receiving 7 shillings per day "half pay". In Captain Costley's case this was paid to him for the rest of his life.
During his life he resided in various places in southern England, including:
Kearnsey, Kent (1814)
Ashbury, Gloucestershire (1844)
Ilfracombe, Devon (Ashberry Cottage, 1847)
(* he claimed his MGS in about 1848 at age 60 *)
Torquay, St Marychurch, Devon (1851)
Tidenham, Gloucestershire (1861)
Captain Costley died in Torquay (Newton Abbot) on 11th January 1873 at the age of 85 and after a full choral service on January 17th in celebration of his life and as a mark of respect as a locally well known ex-Army officer he was carried to his final resting place by the inhabitants of St Marychurch, Torquay. A few years earlier he is seen transferring the lease of his property to his niece.
Looking at the exceptional condition of this lovely medal it fully clarifies the effect of the 40 year delay in its issue. Many of the aged soldiers didn't live long enough to claim the medal at all, and the medal could not be claimed by the families of deceased men. Those who did claim were well into their old age by the time their medals arrived. In the case of Captain Costley he was 61 and although he survived for another 25 years, he clearly never wore it. The medal is EF+ / AU with flashy original semi-proof like fields and only minuscule cabinet friction to the very highest points of the original light blue-grey peripheral toning.
[THE PORTRAIT MINIATURE]
The medal is accompanied by a superbly accurate and finely detailed period portrait miniature likely to be that of the young Costley dressed in a high collared coat at the age of about 19.
This is contained in a large oval gold & glazed frame (2.5" x 2.0") with top loop. The reverse in cobalt blue glass set with a clear glass panel showing platted human hair. This glass is inlaid with initials & family crest in gold.
This is believed to have been painted in about 1807. The reverse initials "C.C." probably refer to his brother Charles Conway Costley who was a captain in the 87th (Royal Irish Fusiliers). The portrait is however very likely to be that of the young Theophilus himself, as a gift from his brother.
This is a Truly Stunning Survivor with a Rare Portrait Miniature. With various research papers and census documents.
SOLD
[THE MEDAL]
The medal is in EF+ / AU condition with its original silver claw brooch top pin. Uncleaned with original toning.
Officially impressed to: 
T.B. COSTLEY, CAPt, 45th FOOT.
[THE SEVEN CLASPS]
PYRENEES
VITTORIA
SALAMANCA
BADAJOZ
CIUDAD RODRIGO
FUENTES D'ONOR
BUSACO
[THEOPHILUS BYERS COSTLEY 1788-1873]
Theophilus Byers Costley was born in Dublin Ireland in 1787. His father, John Costley died in 1806.
He joined the army in 1805 and no sooner had he put on his uniform he was shipped out to South America. HE WAS THE LAST SURVIVING
OFFICER OF WHITLOCK'S SOUTH AMERICAN EXPEDITION,& one of the last few survivors of those men who fought the great battles under "The Iron Duke".
[INTO ACTION, ENSIGN COSTLEY'S FIRST CAMPAIGN]
In the spring of 1807 the 45th Regiment embarked for South America and took part in the disastrous British Invasion of the River Plate. It also saw action at the Second Battle of Buenos Aires in July 1807. The regiment suffered a depressing defeat which in turn led to the collapse of discipline when eleven men of the regiment completely disappeared.
However, another unit of the regiment successfully charged the enemy with the capture of two howitzers and many prisoners.
The regiment embarked for Portugal in July 1808 to serve under General Sir Arthur Wellesley in the Peninsular War.
[His promotions were]
Ensign: 9th May 1805
Lieut: 1st January 1807
Captain: 7th October 1813
[SERVICE IN THE PENINSULA]
He was present at the battle of BUSACO, wither Wellington had fallen back on the advance of French by Ciudad Rodrigo and Almeida. He served with the army in the retreat to the lines of Torres Vedras (1810), in the pursuit of Massena, in the actions Pombal Redinha, Fon d'Aronee, Garda, and Fabugal
at the battles of Fuentes d'Onoro (May 3rd,4th, and 5th, 1811), at the siege of BADAJOZ (May & June 1811), at El Badron,and Aldra di Ponti, at the siege and storm of Ciudad Rodrigo (1812) the siege, storm and escalade of BADAJOZ (March 16th to April 6th), at the Battle of Salamanca (July 22nd) , and in the advance and retreat from Madrid (November 1812) . He also served at the passage of the Elbe, at VITTORIA (June 1813) , at the blockade of Pampeluna and the battles of the Pyrenees (July 27th to 30th)
He served for seven years until his discharge on 7th October 1814 at the reduction of the army and was placed on half pay on 25th December 1814.
[St ANDREW'S CHURCH, EAST BLATCHINGTON, SUSSEX]
Immediatly after leaving the army he married his sweetheart Sarah Anne Meryweather (born 1787) of Burford, Oxfordshire at St Andrew's Church East Blatchington, Sussex in October 1814 which was just two months before he was placed in half pay. The couple originally settled in Kearnsey, Kent.
He had three older and two younger brothers and one elder & one younger sister. Three of his brothers were also officers in the British Army and one a mason. Being described as "a gentleman" on the various census returns of the period, his was clearly a wealthy family of independent financial means who accommodated various relatives and employed two female servants while resident in Torquay in 1851.
He served with the 45th (NOTTINGHAMSHIRE) Regt from 1807
until his discharge at the age of 26 in 1814. We have original Army lists for 1817 and 1845 in which Costley and his brother Charles are both listed as receiving 7 shillings per day "half pay". In Captain Costley's case this was paid to him for the rest of his life.
During his life he resided in various places in southern England, including:
Kearnsey, Kent (1814)
Ashbury, Gloucestershire (1844)
Ilfracombe, Devon (Ashberry Cottage, 1847)
(* he claimed his MGS in about 1848 at age 60 *)
Torquay, St Marychurch, Devon (1851)
Tidenham, Gloucestershire (1861)
Captain Costley died in Torquay (Newton Abbot) on 11th January 1873 at the age of 85 and after a full choral service on January 17th in celebration of his life and as a mark of respect as a locally well known ex-Army officer he was carried to his final resting place by the inhabitants of St Marychurch, Torquay. A few years earlier he is seen transferring the lease of his property to his niece.
Looking at the exceptional condition of this lovely medal it fully clarifies the effect of the 40 year delay in its issue. Many of the aged soldiers didn't live long enough to claim the medal at all, and the medal could not be claimed by the families of deceased men. Those who did claim were well into their old age by the time their medals arrived. In the case of Captain Costley he was 61 and although he survived for another 25 years, he clearly never wore it. The medal is EF+ / AU with flashy original semi-proof like fields and only minuscule cabinet friction to the very highest points of the original light blue-grey peripheral toning.
[THE PORTRAIT MINIATURE]
The medal is accompanied by a superbly accurate and finely detailed period portrait miniature likely to be that of the young Costley dressed in a high collared coat at the age of about 19.
This is contained in a large oval gold & glazed frame (2.5" x 2.0") with top loop. The reverse in cobalt blue glass set with a clear glass panel showing platted human hair. This glass is inlaid with initials & family crest in gold.
This is believed to have been painted in about 1807. The reverse initials "C.C." probably refer to his brother Charles Conway Costley who was a captain in the 87th (Royal Irish Fusiliers). The portrait is however very likely to be that of the young Theophilus himself, as a gift from his brother.
