This artefact, dating to the 1860s, is a privately commissioned miniature ribbon badge designed by Royal Navy officer William Chimmo, modelled after the official 1818-1855 Arctic Medal. The swallowtail ribbon mirrors the official medal’s use of a pure white colour scheme. The ribbon is housed within a silver frame, with a brass pin attached to the back. The front of the silver frame features a diagonally positioned scroll-shaped plaque, engraved with the word “ARCTIC” in capital letters with diagonal stripes. Additionally, a silver five-pointed star pendant hangs from the lower edge of the frame, enhancing the design.
During the early reign of Queen Victoria, it became fashionable among British military officers to privately commission bespoke miniature riband badges from jewellers, modelled after their awarded medals. These personalised ribands with attachments allowed officers to display unique representations of their achievements.
One such riband badge belonged to William Chimmo, born on April 23, AD 1826, in Cork, Ireland. At the age of 15, he joined the Royal Navy. During the First Opium War, William served aboard the HMS Cornwallis, the flagship of the British fleet. His naval career spanned several decades, with assignments that took him across China, Australia, Central America, the Arctic, and Indonesia. William retired in AD 1873 with the rank of Captain. On October 30, AD 1891, he passed away at the age of 65 in Dorset, a county in the southwest of England.
In AD 1867, William Chimmo, serving as a naval commander, was responsible for leading an Atlantic patrol mission from Trinidad to the North American coastline. During this deployment, William personally oversaw a survey of the waterways along the Labrador coast, situated within the Arctic Circle in present-day Canada.
As recognition for his contributions to this mission, William was awarded the 1818-1855 Arctic Medal, established by the British government in AD 1857 to encourage polar exploration efforts. The British government issued two versions of the Arctic Medal, the first in AD 1857 and the second in AD 1876, to honour achievements in Arctic expeditions. The AD 1857 version of the medal is octagonal in shape, featuring a five-pointed star pendant.
