ROYAL HUMANE SOCIETY certificate on vellum awarding a silver medal to William Tipper for lifesaving. William Tipper (b. Stroud, Glos. 1820, d. 1908, Shrewsbury) was a boatswain on HMS Vesuvius. In July 1854, while lying off Sulina mouth of the Danube, two men were knocked off the ship's ladder. Both were unable to swim and had sunk out of sight in the muddy stream, which was fast sweeping them away, when Tipper jumped overboard, swam to their assistance and supported them until picked up by a boat. Tipper was awarded several medals during his career, including the Crimea medal and bar and the China medal with two bars. Together with extensive research notes on Tipper.