(Published in Orden
Militaria Magazin No.60 of the German Order Collector
Society; BDOS e.V.)
Prinz Albert of Sachsen-Coburg and Gotha was looking for a wife in late 1836. Because of the help of the Prinz Leopold von Sachsen-Coburg-Saalfeld, his way led him to crown princess Victoria of England. Unfortunately, Victoria kept her distance between herself and her poor cousin so that he had to travel to court her.
During his journey he awarded some people with different orders and medals. Captain Thomas Baldock was also awarded with such an order.
Looking him up in the "Adress-Handbuch des Herzogthums Sachsen Coburg und Gotha" for the year 1837 proves the award to Th. Baldock. It is written there: "1836. Octbr. Königlich Großbritanischer Marine-Captain Baldock" as the 27th award of a knight cross and the 14th to a foreigner.
This was not something extraordinary. Foreigners received orders and decorations more frequently than citizens. The design of the decorations was generally not different either. The Princely-Saxon House Order of Ernestine for foreigners, however, was designed especially for those occasions during that time. The statutes from 1833 made a clear difference between both cases: "Die an Ausländer zu verleihenden Ordenskreuze haben keinen Eichenkranz um den blauen Ring. (Foreigners are getting decorations without the oak leaf wreath surrounding the motto band)". The example shown below is such a piece. The oak leaf wreath wasn't only missing and leaving the cross with a smaller medallion, but a new medallion had to be made to conform with the overall style of the order decoration when awarded to a foreigner.
for foreigner
for citizens
From today's point of view, the discriminative style of segregation by the order was discontinued in 1864 (unofficially around 1856).
The fact that Captain Baldock was very proud of his House Order is proven by the miniature he bought. He hasn't worn it, as common in this time, on a barrette, but as a single piece on a golden needle. The miniature shows the original knight's cross, the "E" (Ernst von Sachsen-Coburg-Gotha), and has the special medallion with the missing oak leaf wreath.
.
Below is an excerpt from the actual personnel roles showing the entry on Baldock and his special award.
It clearly states that Captain
Baldock was awarded the Ernestine House Order Knight
Cross 1st Class for Foreigners on September 20, 1836. The document also
shows the actual reason for the award of this order
decoration. He was awarded the decoration for courage
in preventing danger from Prince Ferdinand.
Since a few pieces of extreme rarity
came up for auction, it is prudent to update this section
with some imagery:
Following is the first type for foreigners when awarded by more than one of the three Saxon houses:
The letter on the upper cross arm is missing, which would
normally indicate the name of the head of the principality awarding the decoration.
Awards granted by Prince Friedrich of Saxe-Altenburg would
show an "F", those awarded by Prince Bernhard of
Saxe-Meinigen a "B", and those made by Prince
Ernst of Saxe-Coburg-Gotha an "E". Based on
observations of market activities over the past decades, it
becomes evident that the Coburg Gotha pieces are the more
common ones, while pieces with "F" or "B'
seldom surface.
Next, a knight cross awarded by the Meiningen house featuring the letter “B”:
