Obverse: A man kneeling on a piece of wreckage saving a woman and child from the water; in the distance a boat picking up a person from the water, a ship under sail on the horizon. Legend: 'LORD SAVE US WE PERISH'. Reverse: Within an oak wreath a 'Liver' Bird with an olive branch in its beak. (The crest of Liverpool). Legend: 'LIVERPOOL SHIPWRECK AND HUMANE SOCIETY 1839'. Inscription on edge: 'JOHN LAVERTY FOR HAVING JUMPED INTO COBURG DOCK AND SAVED A MAN OCT. 27 1882'. Inscription on bar: 'FOR SAVING LIFE OCTR 6 1883'. Suspended by a cusped clasp from a blue ribbon fitted with an engraved bar and a pin buckle. John Laverty was born in Ballintoy, Antrim in about 1838, and worked as a carter in Liverpool .