Some interesting old photos with swords

[Robert Wilkinson-Latham]

No idea where this came from so can't say much about it other than it shows a police sword drill from likely the second half of the 19c.

Illustrated LondoNews - Caption - 'Cutlass Training at Welington Barracks 1867".

[Robert Wilkinson-Latham]

Here is a hand coloured Cabinet photograph from th 1860's which I picked up many many years ago for the sum of 2/- (Today 10p!)

It shows an Infantry officer of 12th Foot circa 1860's with his 1845 pattern sword. Unfortunately the officer is not named on the back of the photo.

This hand colouring of photographs was very popular at this period, many thinking it would put all the portrait artists out of business!!!!

[David gray]

Thanks for the info on the police drill I gave the picture to my son the cop but I couldn't tell him anything about it, till now. Thanks also for the colour photo you must've read my mind, when I posted the photo of Egerton I was wishing it was in colour to see the uniform.

[Robert Wilkinson-Latham]

Mark Wrote:

great image, Robert (and I've been looking for a real Elcho for years!)

mark@swordforum.com


Mark

At least 4 were supplied to White;s of Aldershot, marked Wilkinson and Numbered in 1873, obviously for the Ashanti War.

Here is the proof details to help your search!!!!

[Javier Ramos]

Just a little curiosity:

[David gray]

This time a painting by his brother Sir Francis Grant in 1853, he was president of the Royal Academy. I'll post the photograph again for a side by side comparison, the photo made in 1860, China. The General was born in Kilgarston, Perthshire, Scotland of course.

[Robert Wilkinson-Latham]

Slightly off the person/uniform & sword theme, here is an 'interesting' photograph of swords.

I think it may be German of Swedish manufacturer but whoever he was, he wasn't having much luck when the Inspector had a go at his wares!!!!!!!!!!!!!! (And this after individual blade testing and when the sword was finally hilted and 'ready to go'!!!)

Photo Courtesy of my good friend Olof Janson.

[David gray]

I disagree Robert, it's an old photo with swords right on theme and an excellent scene, the inspector certainly looks like he's putting his weight behind the blow, thankyou very much for that. Would that be a lump of lead he's hitting do you know?

[Robert Wilkinson-Latham]

According to all the UK specs it would be a sizable chunk of an Oak Tree or other hard wood.

[David gray]

This is from Queen Victoria's photograph album of John Rennie of the 72nd Regiment of Foot on return from the Crimea. He has on a bandsman's white doublet with shoulder wings and armed with a brass hilted sword.

[David gray]

Born a Gaelic speaking crofters son from the Black Isle, Muir, Ross and Comarty, Scotland. He left school at 15 joined up at 17 a private and rose through the ranks on merit alone to be knighted and become a Major General. The dirk and sgian dubh was presented to Mac by his former comrades and sargeants of the 92nd when he was commisioned an officer in the regiment in 1880. The sword was presented by the officers of the 92nd on the same occasion. Mac's story ends in tragedy with allegations of homosexual activity, he was to be court martialed and was told he should just shot himself which he did in Paris in 1903. A clergyman noted that had he been the son of a Duke an easier way out would have been given him. There were suspicions that the allegations were fabricated by his enemies. He was despised by some of the military who considered themselves of a superior class and looked down on Mac's thick Scottish accent and uncultured ways. It should be noted that there were comparable rumors about "Chinese" Gordon, Montgomary and Auchinleck to name but a few. The family tried to bury him in the early morning out of shame but thousands turned up and many more thousands visited his grave and memorials. Known as "Fighting Mac" he was the most famous living Scot of his day and possibly could've shortened WW1 had he lived, who knows? He was married in 1884 his wife passing in 1911 and his son became an engineer and died in 1951. The watercolour is by Joseph Finnemore c 1900.

[Dmitry Z~G]

Known as "Fighting Mac" he was the most famous living Scot of his day and possibly could've shortened WW1 had he lived, who knows?

I don't think that the Big Mac would have made an iota of difference. 'The War' had gone on for as long as the bankers wanted it to go on. Nevertheless, neat artifacts.

[Robert Wilkinson-Latham]

In the theme of swordmakers, here is a couple of photographs of 'Wilkinson; men!
First was taken in 1936 when these four had been with Wilkinsons for 50 years plus !!!!!
Left to right: Etcher C.A Argyle (51 years) - Ernie Johnson- Walter Johnson - Tom Beasley.(These three 52 years)

Ernie and Walter Johnson came from Reeves in Birmingham. Ernie didn't retire until after WW2 and worked at Wilkinsons during the War on FS knives.

The second is of 'Hand" blade forging (The Stalingrad sword blade) by Sid Rouse (left) and the famous Tom Beasley right.

Chances are that all you British Sword collectors have swords handled and made by these men.
As they used to say at Wilkinsons, Beasley forged them and Argyll etched them!

Walter and Ernie were experienced fitters who assembled (first rough mount and then final mount) the swords.

[David gray]

He was servant and confidante of Queen Victoria for 34 years and caused a wee bit of a scandal.

[David gray]

He was born in 1489 and only the Earl from 1514-1557 he was also Lord Chancellor of Scotland from 1526-28. Not a photo right but he is showing off what a guy with money wears in the early 16th c. He was married to the English and Henry V111's daughter Margaret i believe.

[David gray]

General Douglas Haig, born in Victorian Scotland he was made Earl Haig in 1919.

[David gray]

A very interesting man leading the way with a sword in hand in WW2

[Mark McMorrow]

for obvious reasons, this thread is now officially sticky.

[William V.]

Hello everybody,

I hope I don't break any rules by posting this (I'm sorry if I do). But this fits in here and might be interesting for you...
check out this article on ebay:
All the best

William

[David gray]

Personaly i can't be bothered with EBay numbers this is supposed to be old photos with swords like the Duke of Edinburgh and Major General D N Wimberley in Glasgow in 1956.

[J.G. Hopkins]

William,
Since the auction is still active I removed the item number. Please feel free to re-post when the auction has closed.

Jonathan

[David gray]

This portrait by J M Barclay hangs in Leith Hall where the Col returned to in 1860 and was laird from 1862 till he passed in 1900. He was born in Aberdeenshire in 1818, his father was General Sir James Leith. The Col joined the 93rd Sutherland Highlanders in 1835 and served in Canada, Balaclava and India.

[David gray]

This portrait done by photographer Samuel Bourne and printer Charles Shepherd in 1864-5. He thought of himself as Scottish but he was born in America to a Scottish dad and Anglo-Spanish ma. He was a travelling mercenary ending up in the Sic army under Maharaja Ranjit Singh. His tartan suit and pagri are locally made in India and described as 79th Cameron Highlanders only brighter. He is thought to be Rudyard Kipling's model for " The Man Who would be King"

[William V.]

Jonathan,
no problem. Will repost the number when the auction is over.

William

[David gray]

Nicknamed "Foxy" he has the military basket hilt in hand. Because they controlled supplies such as food quartermasters often had the opportunities to exercise entrepreneurial talants which led to others to regard them as particulary cunning, this is likely the origin of the nickname.