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Wilkinson Sword -
11-24-2006, 03:32 AM
Hello All,
Bought a Wilkinson sword yesterday, but am away from home at the moment, and can't seem to find the site where one can access the Wilkinson sales archive, does anyone have the link?
Many thanks,
Chris
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11-24-2006, 03:49 AM
“Do you know what astonished me most in the world? The inability of force to create anything. In the long run, the sword is always beaten by the spirit.” Napoleon Bonaparte
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11-24-2006, 04:52 AM
Great stuff, cheers Dom. I'll let you all know if I find out anything exciting!
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Exciting stuff -
11-30-2006, 02:21 AM
Got the records back from Wilkinson this morning. My sword belonged to Captain HUGH BEAUCLERK MOSTYN PRYCE, and was manufactured in 1900. He came from Gunley Hall, in Chirbury, and was killed aged 33 on 19th of March 1915.
The blade has an interesting lion crest (photo attached) does anybody recorgnise it? How would be the best way to research a crest?
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11-30-2006, 04:05 AM
Originally Posted by Christopher J G Scott
Got the records back from Wilkinson this morning. My sword belonged to Captain HUGH BEAUCLERK MOSTYN PRYCE, and was manufactured in 1900. He came from Gunley Hall, in Chirbury, and was killed aged 33 on 19th of March 1915.
The blade has an interesting lion crest (photo attached) does anybody recorgnise it? How would be the best way to research a crest?
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Hi Christopher,
That'll be his family crest - libraries often have copies of "Fairbairn's Crests", and looking under the Pryce family might give more info.
However, you're in luck: there's a detailed entry for him in "Bond of Sacrifice: a Biographical Record of Officers who fell in the Great War" (apologies for length of post, but it might be of interest to others):
Captain Hugh Beauclerk Mostyn Pryce, 3rd Bn., Rifle Brigade (The Prince Consort's Own), who was born on the 26th October 1881, was the only son of Edward S. Mostyn Pryce, Esq., of Gunley. His mother was a daughter of Charles William Beauclerk, Esq., of Winchfield, and a grand-daughter of the Right Hon. and Rev. Lord Frederick Beauclerk, brother of the fifth Duke of St. Alban's.
He was educated at Eton and the R.M.C., Sandhurst, and received an unattached 2nd Lieutenancy in January, 1901, being gazetted to the Rifle Brigade in the following March. At Eton he was known as the Cox of the "Thetis" and "Prince of Wales" boats on the river. He was a thorough sportsman, fond of shooting, a good shot in covert shooting, and a straight rider to hounds. He was a member of the Travellers' Club. He served in the latter part of the South African War, being present at operations in the Transvaal, the Orange River and Cape Colonies, in 1902, receiving the Queen's medal with four clasps for his services. He was promoted Lieutenant in April, 1904, and Captain in January, 1911.
Captain Pryce was hit in the head by a German sniper on the 16th March, 1915, after gallantly and successfully leading two companies of the Rifle Brigade, and storming the German trenches at the Battle of St. Eloi, and died on the 19th of the same month in hospital in Bailleul, being buried in the cemetery at that place.
Captain Pryce, who was a very popular officer, was the last direct representative of the Pryces of Gunley, one of the oldest County families in Wales, whose pedigree, registered at the College of Arms, reaches in the direct male line for nearly seven hundred and fifty years, viz., to A.D. 1167.
I also attach a picture of Captain Pryce, from the same book.
A very interesting and poignant story!
John
"If I can't be a good example to others, at least let me be a horrible warning".
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11-30-2006, 04:32 AM
Christopher ,
I would be interested to see a picture of the hilt on this sword .
Rifle Brigade swords are my thing and would like to see what sort of cartouche is on the hilt.
Chris
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11-30-2006, 04:52 AM
Christopher,
Congratulations on a superb sword!
John,
Fantastic background! Thanks for providing such excellent pedigree on this piece!
Chris G.,
If you like RB swords, this one may interest you:
http://forums.swordforum.com/showthread.php?t=9364
mark@swordforum.com
~ Hostem Hastarum Cuspidibus Salutemus ~
"Those who beat their swords into plowshares usually end up plowing for those who don't."
Benjamin Franklin
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11-30-2006, 05:40 AM
John,
I cannot thank you enough, this is just superb! This is what sword collecting is all about for me, finding out about the men who carried these weapons.
Bond of Sacrifice: a Biographical Record of Officers who fell in the Great War, sounds like a great reference, are they hard to come by?
Chris G, picture attached.
Mark, thank you very much. Another positive result from our great forum.
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11-30-2006, 06:18 AM
Very easy to find, Christopher - the Naval and Military Press ( http://www.naval-military-press.com/) have reprinted them. The project was started at the outbreak of war, and the two volumes cover from August 1914 to June 1915. However, the scale of the losses in the second half of 1915 swamped the publishers, and no further volumes were produced. Lots of the entries in these volumes don't have as much info as Pryce's, but when you get a good one like this, especially with a photograph, they're worth the outlay!
Anyway, glad you got a result - as in your case, this kind of thing is what sword collecting is all about for me.
Note to all: I'm happy to do lookups in "The Bond of Sacrifice" for anyone else who may have a named sword to an early war casualty they may be researching.
John
"If I can't be a good example to others, at least let me be a horrible warning".
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11-30-2006, 07:36 AM
Thats great John, I think they're going to be my Christmas present to myself! Thanks again for your hard work, it is much appreciated.
Regards, Chris
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11-30-2006, 10:19 AM
Chris ,
Hilt is what I expected , bugle horn with the wreath surround . I have a couple without the wreath but engraved on the blade to the Rifle Brigade .
I must dig out the camera and post some pics . Must also get the Wilkinson research done , I have five that need doing which makes it a bit expensive.
The other sword is nice Mark and I remembered the post , as John said it is a standard infanrty sword and not RB pattern but is still a nice sword with all the provinence .
All told , at the moment  i have sixteen RB swords . Also have a large amount of books on the Rifle Brigade should anyone need any info .
Chris |
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11-30-2006, 11:55 AM
Chris,
Perhaps Richard will do you a group discount?! Five for the price of four! Anyway, as your a fan of the 1827, heres another one of mine, a levee weight example to the 1st Punjab Infantry. This one was made by Thurkle, and lacks the wreath seen on example earlier in the thread.
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11-30-2006, 12:06 PM
Another nice sword Chris , I reckon the Rifle Regiment/Rifle Volunteers sword is the most common one about , shame a lot of them have been badly stored etc. and are in pretty poor condition .
The wreath around the cartouche is only used , as far as I know , on Rifle Brigade swords and one of the Gurkha regiments . At least it makes it eaier to recognise them .
It does make one wonder though , how many KRRC etc. swords get by passed as there is no way of telling who they were used by .
Have three levee swords the oldest is a Wilkinson from 1860 .
Chris
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11-30-2006, 12:16 PM
Picture of my swords from nearly two years ago . Will take a another pic at the weekend .
Chris
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11-30-2006, 06:46 PM
That's a very nice collection...indeed.
Thanks for the photo...
Cheers,
Bill
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12-01-2006, 02:52 AM
[QUOTE=This is what sword collecting is all about for me, finding out about the men who carried these weapons.
QUOTE]
Yep, great hey
“Do you know what astonished me most in the world? The inability of force to create anything. In the long run, the sword is always beaten by the spirit.” Napoleon Bonaparte
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12-01-2006, 04:27 AM
Originally Posted by Chris Goodfellow
The other sword is nice Mark and I remembered the post , as John said it is a standard infanrty sword and not RB pattern but is still a nice sword with all the provinence.
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The general assumption is this sword had a rifle pattern hilt during his early service, but was rehilted to the general pattern upon his Great War recall.
mark@swordforum.com
~ Hostem Hastarum Cuspidibus Salutemus ~
"Those who beat their swords into plowshares usually end up plowing for those who don't."
Benjamin Franklin
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12-01-2006, 09:39 AM
Nice collection, Chris. I look forward to the photo's.
Mark, a nice sword, with a great history, I remember the thread well, re-hilting does make sense.
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Hugh Beauclerk Mostyn Pryce - Sword -
03-23-2007, 04:48 AM
Just thought you might like to know that I recently inherited all the history relating to this family including some diary notes by the father relating to his sons death.
There is also a portrait of Hugh Pryce, in uniform and painted posthumously, which we have coming up at auction 4th April. You can view on www.woolleyandwallis.co.uk (lot No 354).
I'd be glad to provide with you with any further information - contact 01425 616708 or e-mail thewoodwards@talktalk.net
regards
mike woodward |
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03-23-2007, 05:36 AM
What a coincidence! This sword has been most interesting to research. I shall email you about this one Michael.
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