London Clubs: Their History & TreasuresNevill, Ralph
History
London Clubs: Their History & Treasures
Nevill, Ralph
Clubs -- England -- London; London (England) -- Social life and customs
Seven years later, in 1720, the donor was commemorated by the addition
of a silver lid to the box. In 1726 a silver side case and bottom were
added. In 1740 an embossed border was placed upon the lid, and the
under-part enriched with an emblem of Charity. In 1746 Hogarth engraved
inside the lid a bust of the Duke of Cumberland, with allegorical
figures and scroll commemorating the Battle of Culloden. In 1765 an
interwoven scroll was added to the lid, enclosing a plate with the arms
of the City of Westminster, and inscribed: “This Box to be delivered to
every succeeding set of Overseers, on penalty of five guineas.”
The original Horn box being thus ornamented, additional ornamentation in
the shape of cases continued to be provided by the senior overseers for
the time being. These were embellished with silver plates engraved with
emblematical and historical subjects and busts. Among the first are a
view of the fireworks in St. James’s Park to celebrate the Peace of
Aix-la-Chapelle, 1749; Admiral Keppel’s action off Ushant, and his
acquittal after a court-martial; the Battle of the Nile; the repulse of
Admiral Linois, 1804; the Battle of Trafalgar, 1805; the action between
the _San Fiorenzo_ and _La Piémontaise_, 1808; the Battle of Waterloo,
1815; the bombardment of Algiers, 1816; view of the House of Lords at
the trial of Queen Caroline; the Coronation of George IV; and his visit
to Scotland, 1822.
Features of great interest are: Portraits of John Wilkes, churchwarden
in 1759; Nelson, Duncan, Howe, Vincent; Fox and Pitt, 1806; George IV as
Prince Regent, 1811; the Princess Charlotte, 1817; and Queen Charlotte,
1818.
In 1813 a large silver plate was added to the outer case, with a
portrait of the Duke of Wellington, commemorating the centenary of the
agglomeration of the box. Local occurrences are also commemorated: The
interior of Westminster Hall, with the Westminster Volunteers attending
Divine service at the drumhead on the Fast Day, 1803; the Old Sessions
House; a view of St. Margaret’s from the north-east; the west front
tower; and the altar-piece. On the outside of the first case is a clever
engraving of a cripple. The top of the second case represents the
Governors of the Poor in their board-room. It bears this inscription:
“The original Box and cases to be given to every succeeding set of
Overseers, on penalty of fifty guineas, 1783.”
In 1785 Mr. Gilbert exhibited the box to some friends after dinner. That
night thieves broke into his house, and carried off all the plate that
had been in use; but the box had been removed beforehand to a
bedchamber.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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