British Pattern 1831 Lord Lieutenant's Mameluke Dress Sword : Sir Ronald Munro Ferguson, Governor General of Australia

Accession Number	REL/01108.001
Collection type	Technology
Object type	Edged weapon or club
Physical description	Steel, Ivory & Gilt
Location	Main Bld: First World War Gallery: Australia Goes To War: Australia 1914/International Situation
Maker	Anderson & Son, London
Place made	United Kingdom
Date made	Unknown
Conflict	Period 1910-1919 Period 1920-1929

Description

British Pattern 1831 Lord Lieutenant's Dress Sword. The gilded hilt is the mameluke style with a rose, shamrock and thistle on both sides of the cross guard in silver. The plain unfullered blade, with a double edge clip back point, is etched on both sides. On the left is the Royal Cypher of George V and ANDERSON & SON 9 St JAMES' STREET LONDON S.W. and on the right is a floral design encompassing a tudor crown over the rose, shamrock and thistle. The ivory grips are both broken and a silver and red sword knot is attached to the pommel.The scabbard is black leather with two loose brass hanger rings of which the top one is attached to the locket. The scabbard chape is missing.

History / Summary

This type of sword is virtually identical to the military General Officer Pattern but has the rose, shamrock and thistle instead of the crossed baton and sword on the cross guard. This British Pattern 1831 Lord Lieutenant’s Mameluke Dress Sword was a part of the formal dress of Sir Ronald Munro Ferguson who was Australia’s Governor General from 18 May 1914 to 6 October 1920. He became Viscount Novar on his return to Great Britain in 1920 and was appointed a knight of the Thistle in 1926.