#yeomanry

Non-Regulation 1796 Style Officer's Sabre

Modern collectors have a tendency to want to catalogue everything into tidy and convenient compartments. So when we see a short sabre such as this, with the D-guard and the 1796 Light Cavalry style langets we naturally want to fit it into it's own neat category; pre-regulation or pre-1803 flank officers sabre.

Unfortunately, while it suits our sensibilities nicely, it is not an accurate description of this (or many others like it) sword. The truth is, we don't know, and are likely to never know the who and what behind these swords. All that we can do is speculate based on the observations.

The short blade length means that it is unlikely to have been a cavalry officers' dress sword, but this is not conclusive since there is no frog stud, which are commonly found on infantry officer swords. Despite its’ short length, it is a substantial sword and on the heavier side. As functional as it is showy, so possibly the owner had some expectation of needing to draw it in anger? The shorter length makes it suitable for a naval officer, could it have belonged to an officer of the Royal Marines? Without any nautical motifs that too is only speculation.

Then there were the Yeomanry, Militias and the Volunteer units, a large body of part time soldiers whose officers often carried whatever swords pleased them. Rather than the standard army regulation patterns.   The workmanship of the detailing would have made this an expensive sword in it's day, and Samuel Brunn was one of the top sword makers of the time. So it was either purchased by a very well off gentleman or presented to him by someone else. Although the later is unlikely as presentation swords normally carry an inscription.

In the end, all we can be sure of is that this sword belonged to a British Officer from the time period of 1805 to 1820.

Overall Length: 810 mm

Blade Length: 695 mm

Grip Length: 106 mm

Inside Grip Length: 89 mm

Weight: 720 grams

Total Weight (inc. scabbard): 1,140 grams

Point of Balance: 130 mm

Nick Thomas from the Academy of Historical Fencing has recently published a video discussing a similar(ish) sabre:

Rare Colonial Era British Military Officer’s Silver Gorget

  c. 1760-1780, Colonial to French and Indian War to Revolutionary War, British Military Gorget, Hand-Hammered and Engraved Silver, Extremely Fine. This is an original, Silver British Military Gorget, worn as decoration being part of an officer’s uniform, measures 4” long x 3.5” wide, with a 1.5” space between the 2 arms on either side, holed for wearing at the ends. This very rare Gorget has Engravings of a “Fort” on each of the two arms, with a hand-engraved British Royal Coat of Arms at center. There is a banner engraved “LONDON DERRY” above and “YEOMANRY” below.

Helmet of a Welsh Yeomanry Regiment dated between 1830-1840 on display at the National Army Museum in London

The volunteer Yeomanry cavalry units were originally formed in the 1790s as a response to the invasion threat from Revolutionary France. However, they were also used to support the civil authority to put down political and social disturbances. This continued until the mid-19th century when police forces took over this role. The yeomanry then concentrated on local defence.

British Pattern 1896 Cavalry Officer’s Levee Sword with Regimental Badge for the South Irish Yeomanry

The regimental badge and light weight levee blade make this a very rare dress sword.

This is an attractive original, Victorian, South Irish Yeomanry Officer’s ‘Walking Out’ Heavy Cavalry Levee Sword (small version) By Hamburger Rogers & Co, London With Etched Blade, leather Knot & Scabbard. The sword has a 35 ½"“ single edged blade with fuller (41 ½” overall). The blade is clean and beautifully etched with stylised VR (Victoria Regina) Royal Cypher and foliate decorative panels on both sides. The ricasso is is marked with inlaid quality inspection star at the ricasso and the reverse with the Hamburger Rogers & Co, King Street, Covent Garden WC’ (London), manufacturer’s name. The hilt is fitted with original leather washer. The back of the blade is stamped with a crisp serial number ’ 4974’.

Georgian era Yeomanry officers sabre styled after the 1796 Pattern light cavalry sabre.

Produced by William Henry Archer of Dublin using a Solingen produced blade imported J J Runkel.

This sabre is another example of the many quirky swords that abounded during this period. While the government was working to establish regulation pattern swords, many officers, especially those in the yeomanry, volunteers or militia were content to continue using the equipment that best suited them. As a result there are many surviving examples that are next to impossible to attribute to a unit or branch or service. In only a few examples are we lucky enough to have identifying inscriptions on the sword or scabbard. And even these need to be viewed with caution.

Stylistically, animal motifs were a common decorative feature on swords of this time. With the lions head so popular that it became part of several British Pattern swords, including the sabre still in service with British naval officers. A variation of the animal theme. horse-heads pommels seemed to have been more common among the cutlers from Ireland, with Archer and Reed the more frequently encountered suppliers.

Because the hilt is broadly modeled on the 1796 Pattern light cavalry sabre, with the dual langets, P-shaped stirrup guard and a very functional blade of cavalry proportions, I believe it would have belonged to an Yeomanry officer based in Ireland. The gilt hilt also precludes it from having belonged to a regular army officer.

At the time, the yeomanry had been raised from the upper classes as a reserve force ready to protect Great Britain should Napoleonic France attempt to invade. They also had the secondary function of 'keeping the peace'. In a time before an established police force, the yeomanry were often called upon to break-up any unrest. Which meant that the ones based in Ireland were more active than most.

I estimate that this sword dates from 1798 to 1802 based near identical presentation examples produced by William Archer which have inscriptions dated to 1800. The blade is also decorated with the pre-1801 coat of arms so is unlikely to date after 1803.

William Henry Archer started his career as a sword cutler in 1783 when he married Margaret Shaw, widow of Richard Shaw.

Richard Shaw, was a sword cutler from 1765 to 1782 when he died of injuries caused by the collapse of Music Hall floor. Margaret continued her husbands business in her name until she married William Archer in 1783. It is quite possible that William was working as an apprentice for the Shaws at the time and the marriage was a way to maintain the business. Such arrangements were not unheard of in a time when women were not allowed to own property or enter into contracts.

Archer continued remained in business until his death in 1830, during this time he also served as Lord Mayor of Dublin in 1812 and 1830 so he must have been a successful and respected businessman of his time.