TOPIC:

Hello Trev

There were several regiments that used the castle motif.
The Suffolk's,  Essex , Northampton's  , Dorset's and the Inniskillings I believe, but I think the Inniskillings had a flag on the turret. I have an idea that the badge you posted is attributed to the Devonshire regiment. In my humble opinion, the enamel colours of the white and green may represent the county flag of Devon....just a suggestion. I may have got it completely wrong.

Dave.....

Hi Dave,

Thanks for responding, you know a lot more about British Regiments than I do and your suggestion about the white and green for Devon may just have some merit yet.

Trev

A badge that came with a group of medals spanning 2nd Boer War to post WW1.

Has anyone seen anything like it or/and have a suggestion of its purpose ?




Any help appreciated. Thanks

Peter

Hello Peter

Interesting item, my only suggestion is, could it be part of a watch chain and the badge was the fob?
See image.



Dave.

Thanks for response Dave.
I'm sure you are right that this was used as a fob on a watch chain and maybe that was the sole purpose of its production.
The image of clasped hands is frequently associated with "Friendly Societies" and other fraternal associations. I'm wondering if the design has a deeper significance. perhaps being the badge of some relief organisation during the war.
Peter

Peter,

The clasped hands, in this instance, represent the joining of the British territories in North Africa with those in the south. At the time this was commonly referred to as the establishment of an uninterrupted corridor of British Rule "from Cape to Cairo". Although this ambition was not finally achieved until the end of WWI, in the 1890's Rhodes hatched a plan to establish a Cape-to-Cairo railway and telegraph line. In 1899 he was in negotiations with Germany to build these across the only territory that lay in Britain's path, Tanganyika.
The hands on your pendant are on a Cape Town / Cairo alignment.

This spelter desk ornament uses the same device, with Cecil Rhodes (representing South Africa) shaking hands with Lord Kitchener (representing Egypt). Black & White magazine described this piece in a short article on 25 Nov 1899, when it was available for purchase at Peter Robinson's Christmas Bazaar, Oxford Street, London.

Inscribed on the map of Africa, between the two figures, are the words "FROM CAIRO TO CAPE TOWN" (below a stylised telegraph line).


Black and White, 25th November 1899

She got two or three of an admirable inkstand that is quite inexpensive – half a guinea, I think – and that is shaped like Africa and called the “Cape to Cairo”. The inkpot occupies “the Sahara”, while figures grasping hands from the opposite ends of the future great railway line support the pens, and represent Khartoum and Cape Town. It is most interesting and formed in a splendid imitation of old silver. It is so topical, too, that it will be quite a jolly little memento of a remarkable year.





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