Abyssinian War Medal 1867-8

Awarded to Thomas Barnardiston. Obverse: Small bust of Queen Victoria in a diadem and veil (left) surrounded by a band of nine foliated triangles and between each, letters forming the word 'ABYSSINIA'. Reverse: inscription within a laurel wreath and pearl ring: 'COMMR. T BARNARDISTON. H.M.S. NYMPHE'. Suspended from the Imperial crown and ring by a red ribbon edged with white. Mounted on a bar with two others.

Thomas Barnardiston was born in Little Henny, Essex, the son of Nathaniel Clark Barnardiston, a barrister. He entered the Navy in about 1848 as a naval cadet and was deployed to the Mediterranean in 'Powerful'. During 1853, in 'Winchester' commanded by Granville Gower Loch, he saw active service in the Second Burmese War. He was gazetted after an action with Burmese forces at Danybyu.
During the same year, he served in the Baltic Campaign during the Crimea War in HMS 'Prince Regent and 'Exmouth'. Barnardiston was promoted Lieutenant in July 1855 and appointed to 'Cornwallis'. In the latter vessel he took part in the attack on the fortress of Sveaborg, then in Russian possession, by boats armed with rockets and was again gazetted in August 1855. He was next in the ‘Duke of Wellington’ and ‘Curacoa’. He was reprimanded after a collision between ‘Curacoa’ and the merchant vessel ‘Fleta’ in the Channel on 4 February 1859, he was nevertheless promoted Commander in February 1863. After service in ’Nymph’ during the Abyssinian War, he was promoted Captain. Later in her commission he was engaged in the suppression of the East African slave trade. In 1873-4 he commanded ‘Sphinx’ on the North America and West Indies station. His career also included service in the coastguard. He was made Rear-Admiral on 1 January 1886 and Vice-Admiral on 10 September 1891, he retired in December the same year, being further promoted to Admiral in 1897.

He married Lucy Mary Wise in 1864 and the couple had a daughter Mary Evelyn who married Edwin Wilfred Stanyforth.