THE VICTORIA CROSS AWARDED TO MR THOMAS HENRY KAVANAGH, BENGAL CIVIL SERVICE, INDIAN MUTINY, HAS BEEN SOLD AT AUCTION BY NOONAN'S OF LONDON
14 September 2022


( select to enlarge )

Medal entitlement of Mr Thomas Henry Kavanagh,
Bengal Civil Service

  • Victoria Cross
  • Indian Mutiny Medal ( 1857-58 )
    • 1 clasp:
    • "Defence of Lucknow"

    • the engraving on the VC reads:
    • THOS. H. KAVANAGH
    • ASST. COMMR. IN OUDE.
    • 8 NOVR.
    • 1857.


The Victoria Cross, on its own without the Indian Mutiny Medal, awarded to Mr Thomas Kavanagh, Assistant Commissioner in Oude, Bengal Civil Service, has been sold at auction by Noonan's of London, on Wednesday, 14th September 2022.

The estimated sale price was between £300,000 and £400,000. The sale hammer price realised £750,000. The identity of the purchaser has not been revealed.


For the award of the Victoria Cross

[ London Gazette, 6 July 1859 ], Lucknow, Indian Mutiny, 8 November 1857, Mr Thomas Henry Kavanagh, Bengal Uncovenanted Civil Service.

On the 8th November 1857, Mr Kavanagh, then serving under the orders of Lieutenant-General Sir James Outram, in Lucknow, volunteered on the dangerous duty of proceeding through the City to the Camp of the Commander-in-Chief, for the purpose of guiding the relieving Force to the beleaguered Garrison in the Residency; - a task which he performed with chivalrous gallantry and devotion.

[ London Gazette, 4 May 1860 ].

The act of bravery for which Mr Thomas Kavanagh has been awarded the Victoria Cross was performed on the 9th November 1857, instead of the 8th November, as was stated in the London Gazette of the 8th July 1859.

Thomas Kavanagh was invested with his Victoria Cross by Queen Victoria at Windsor Castle on the 4th January 1860.


Thomas Kavanagh died on the 13th November 1882 in Gibraltar and was buried in the North Front Cemetery.

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Iain Stewart, 14 September 2022