Foster 1064

A silver and crystal claret jug presented to Lieutenant Charles Duncan Cooper (1849-1929) of the Bombay Fusiliers (103rd Regiment) by his colleagues, Lieutenant William Carre Riddell and Lieutenant Henry Henzey Fraser Pidcock, on the year of his marriage to Blanche Mary Johnston. The jug’s silver thumb piece has broken off. The crystal vessel is engraved with a marshland scene featuring reeds, grasses and cranes. Part of the crystal vessel’s base has been broken.

The inscription on the lid reads, ‘C.D. Cooper Esqr Royal Bombay Fusiliers from his brother officers W.C. Riddell and H.H.F. Pidcock Octr 9th 1877’. The silver lid, spout and handle bear the Birmingham hallmark for 1859 and the silversmith mark for William and George Sissons of 9 Eyre Street, Sheffield. They also had a London show room on Duke Street. The Birmingham hallmark is unusual but possibly relates to an overload of assaying at Sheffield and London in 1859.

Charles Duncan Cooper was born on 25 June 1849. His father, Brigadier-General George Lewis Cooper, was killed at the Relief of Lucknow. He joined the Royal Bombay Fusiliers as an Ensign in 1868, and was promoted to Leutenant in 1871. In 1881 the Bombay Fusiliers became the Royal Dublin Fusiliers. He became Brevet Colonel in 1899 and commanded troops during the Relief of Ladysmith during the Boer War. He retired at the rank of Major-General in 1906. He died on 10 January 1929.

Given to the British Library on 23 August 2006 by Mr. John Bennell of Winchester.

25.5 cm tall by 16 cm across (from spout to handle).