Badge for the coxswain of the Admiralty Barge thumbnail 1
Badge for the coxswain of the Admiralty Barge thumbnail 2
+3
images
Image of Gallery in South Kensington
On display at V&A South Kensington
Silver, Room 65, The Whiteley Galleries

Badge for the coxswain of the Admiralty Barge

Badge
1736-1737 (made)
Artist/Maker
Place of origin

This magnificent gilt and enamelled badge was made to be worn by the coxswain (the pilot) of the Admiralty's river barge. The Thames, which until the early 18th century only had a single bridge across it, was a major thoroughfare for commerce and pleasure. Barges were important, both as a practical means of travel and as splendid ceremonial vessels. The Admiralty were the board responsible for the operation of the Royal Navy and were based in London. Like many other institutions, they kept their own barge for the use of the Lords Commissioners. The barge was decorated with carving and gilding, the watermen who rowed it were furnished with cloaks fixed with silver-gilt badges. State barges remained a common sight on the river until the building of the Thames Embankment rendered their use impractical.

The Admiralty kept a single example of a coxswain’s badge, with their anchor and cable in gilt on a red enamelled ground, surrounded by silver scrolls with dolphins, trumpets and sextants echoing similar themes in the Admiralty board room overmantel carvings by Grinling Gibbons. Of the others in the possession of the Admiralty in 1863, when work on the Embankment began, one each was gifted to the British Museum, Victoria and Albert Museum and the Society of Antiquaries, some were sold, and the remainder sent to the Mint to be melted down and used for seamen’s Long Service Medals. The surviving examples were all made in the 1730s by an experienced London goldsmith, William Lukin, who had been apprenticed in the early official badges of the Royal Naval Reserve divisions. The Admiralty's badge was taken on to the HMS PRESIDENT on 3rd June 2012 for the Diamond Jubilee Pageant, as an appropriate centrepiece to welcome the Queen on her arrival.


Object details

Categories
Object type
TitleBadge for the coxswain of the Admiralty Barge (popular title)
Materials and techniques
Silver and gilded silver mounts, enamel.
Brief description
silver, parcel-gilt and enamel, English (London), 1736-7, maker's mark of William Lukin.
Physical description
Silver, in the centre a gilt anchor and cable on a red enamelled ground, surrounded large silver scrolls and dolphins, maritime trophies and mathematical instruments.
Dimensions
  • Maximum, measured across back height: 26.8cm
  • Maximum across back width: 19.8cm
  • Front to back including suspension rings depth: 4.5cm
  • Weight: 28.12troy
Marks and inscriptions
  • London hallmarks for 1736-7 and maker's mark 'WL' in a rectangular punch, for William Lukin, punched on the front and the back of the badge.
  • Engraved on the back of the badge: 'No 16 28 [troy ounces] 12 [pennyweight]'
Credit line
Given by the Lords Commissioners of the Admiralty
Object history
The Admiralty Barge was used on the Thames prior to the building of the London Embankment in 1864-1870. The design is close to the work of William Kent and may possibly be attributed to him. The trumpets, dolphins, sextants are symbols associated with the Admiralty which all feature on the overmantel carved by Grinling Gibbons in the Admiralty Board Room.
Historical context
This badge was originally worn by the coxswains of the Admiralty Barge. The example in the Society of Antiquaries is still attached to its original red felt backing lined with blue. Of the 44 badges remaining in 1863, 24 were sold, 15 were sent to the mint for making into seamen’s Long Service Medals and 5 were distributed to the Admiralty, the Victoria and Albert Museum, the British Museum( 1863,0920.1) and the Society of Antiquaries (LD SAL404).
- this information taken from a memorandum dated 10 July 1990 by P.A.W. Raine, Lieutenant Commander, Royal Navy, Flag Lieutenant to the Admiralty Board in the object file at the Society of Antiquaries.
Subjects depicted
Summary
This magnificent gilt and enamelled badge was made to be worn by the coxswain (the pilot) of the Admiralty's river barge. The Thames, which until the early 18th century only had a single bridge across it, was a major thoroughfare for commerce and pleasure. Barges were important, both as a practical means of travel and as splendid ceremonial vessels. The Admiralty were the board responsible for the operation of the Royal Navy and were based in London. Like many other institutions, they kept their own barge for the use of the Lords Commissioners. The barge was decorated with carving and gilding, the watermen who rowed it were furnished with cloaks fixed with silver-gilt badges. State barges remained a common sight on the river until the building of the Thames Embankment rendered their use impractical.

The Admiralty kept a single example of a coxswain’s badge, with their anchor and cable in gilt on a red enamelled ground, surrounded by silver scrolls with dolphins, trumpets and sextants echoing similar themes in the Admiralty board room overmantel carvings by Grinling Gibbons. Of the others in the possession of the Admiralty in 1863, when work on the Embankment began, one each was gifted to the British Museum, Victoria and Albert Museum and the Society of Antiquaries, some were sold, and the remainder sent to the Mint to be melted down and used for seamen’s Long Service Medals. The surviving examples were all made in the 1730s by an experienced London goldsmith, William Lukin, who had been apprenticed in the early official badges of the Royal Naval Reserve divisions. The Admiralty's badge was taken on to the HMS PRESIDENT on 3rd June 2012 for the Diamond Jubilee Pageant, as an appropriate centrepiece to welcome the Queen on her arrival.
Bibliographic references
  • W.W. Watts, Catalogue of English Silversmiths' Work (with Scottish and Irish) Civil and Domestic. London: His Majesty's Stationery Office, 1920.
  • Proceedings of the Society of Antiquaries, Second Series, vol.II, p.295, 19 November 1863.
  • Doran, Susan, ed., with Robert J. Blyth. Royal River. Power, Pageantry & the Thames. Catalogue of the exhibition held at the National Maritime Museum, Greenwich, 27 April - 9 September 2012. London: Scala 2012. ISBN 9781857597004
Collection
Accession number
8879-1863

About this object record

Explore the Collections contains over a million catalogue records, and over half a million images. It is a working database that includes information compiled over the life of the museum. Some of our records may contain offensive and discriminatory language, or reflect outdated ideas, practice and analysis. We are committed to addressing these issues, and to review and update our records accordingly.

You can write to us to suggest improvements to the record.

Suggest feedback

Record createdSeptember 10, 2004
Record URL
Download as: JSONIIIF Manifest