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THE SWORDS OF COMMANDER THOMAS MORGAN RN , WHO SERVED AT TRAFALGAR AS A MIDSHIPMAN ABOARD HMS SIRIUS AND HIS UNCLE ADMIRAL CHESSHYRE.

A UNIQUE PAIR OF NAVAL SWORDS C 1785 – 1805 WITH COMPLETE PROVENANCE AND ONLY RELEASED FROM THE FAMILY OVER 200 YEARS LATER IN 2008!

THE STORY – THIS IS THE 2ND TIME I HAVE OWNED THESE WONDERFUL SWORDS HAVING JUST RE ACQUIRED THEM FROM THE PERSON I SOLD THEM TO IN 2012. WHEN I PURCHASED THEM IN 2008 I WAS THE 1ST PERSON TO OWN THEM SINCE THE FAMILY!

IN 2008 MY LOCAL AUCTIONEER MELLORS & KIRK SOLD THE ENTIRE CONTENTS OF SUGWAS COURT NEAR HEREFORD FOLLOWING THE LIVING TWIN MISS MUMFORD HAVING TO ENTER A RETIREMENT HOME. THE HOUSE WAS BASICALLY A TREASURE TROVE AND A TIME CAPSULE WORTHY OF A MUSEUM, AND HAD THE TREASURES FROM THE MORGAN FAMILY ORIGINALLY FROM SWANSEA AND IT’S INLAWS THE CHESSHYRE’S AND MUMFORDS.

IN THE CATALOGUE I NOTICED THERE WAS A NAVAL FROCK COAT (WHICH I SADLY DID NOT GET – MADE 10K) AND THE SWORDS FOR SALE HERE. I PURCHASED THE SWORDS JUST FOR WHAT THEY WERE WITHOUT REALISING THE EXACT PROVENANCE WHICH BECAME CLEARER LATER. THE CATALOGUE (ORIGINAL PROVIDED HERE). REFERRED TO THE SALE BEING CONTENTS FROM SUGWAS COURT. I THEN NOTICED THAT THERE HAD BEEN A PREVIOUS SALE A FEW MONTHS BEFORE AND OTHER ITEMS HAD BEEN SOLD WHICH HELPED COMPLETE THE JIG SAW PUZZLE . THERE WERE MORE DETAILS REGARDING THE HOUSE AND TWO PORTRAITS OF NAVAL OFFICERS WERE SOLD (PHOTO COPIES OF THE 2 PROVIDED), ONE OF WHICH SAID LIKELY TO BE THE NAVAL OFFICER THOMAS MORGAN.

I UNDERTOOK FURTHER INVESTIGATIVE WORK AND FOUND THAT THE THOMAS MORGAN RN IN QUESTION WAS A MIDSHIPMAN ABOARD HMS SIRIUS AT TRAFALGAR . HE DID LITTLE SERVICE AFTER AND WAS ON HALF PAY FROM AROUND 1812 AND NEVER SERVED AGAIN. THEREFORE I AM MORE THAN CONFIDENT THAT THE 1805 PATTERN SWORD FOR A LIEUTENANT OR MIDSHIPMAN  IS THAT OF THOMAS MORGAN AND IN ALL PROBABILITY WAS CARRIED AT TRAFALGAR.

THE NEXT QUESTION WAS THE PORTRAIT OF THE ELDER OFFICER. SOME FURTHER RESEARCH REVEALED THAT ADMIRAL CHESSHYRE , THOMAS MORGANS UNCLE LIVED AT THE FAMILY HOME OF ST HELENS IN SWANSEA WITH MORGAN UNTIL HIS DEATH IN THE 1830′S (PRIOR TO THE FAMILY MOVING TO SUGWAS COURT ). ADMIRAL JOHN CHESSHYRE’S TIME AFLOAT WITH THE NAVY WAS IN THE 1780′S AND 1790′S – EXACTLY THE CORRECT PERIOD FOR THE 5 BALL SPADROON SWORD!

IN ALL MY 50 YEARS OF COLLECTING & MY SUBSEQUENT INVOLVEMENT IN THE TRADE . I HAVE NEVER HAD ITEMS FROM THIS PERIOD WITH SUCH PROVENANCE.

SO NOW TO THE ITEMS THEMSELVES. WE HAVE A 5 BALL NAVAL SPADROON C1785 BY GIEVES OF Charing Cross WITH A GRIP FOR AN OFFICER OF ADMIRAL OR CAPTAIN  TOGETHER WITH AN 1805 PATTERN SWORD FOR THE RANK OF LIEUTENANT OR BELOW WITH A SHARKSKIN GRIP , BOTH ARE IN AS FOUND CONDITION , WITH SOME SCABBARD DAMAGE , THE SAME CONDITION THAT THEY CAME OUT OF SUGWAS COURT IN 2008. BOTH HAVE THE ORIGINAL MELLORS AND KIRK AUCTION LABEL ATTACHED FOR COMPLETE PROVENANCE. I DECIDED TO KEEP THEM IN THE SAME CONDITION AND NOT RESTORE THEM , BUT THAT IS INDIVIDUAL PREFERENCE. THESE ALSO COME WITH THE ORIGINAL AUCTION CATALOGUE AND COMPREHENSIVE RESEARCH FOLDER.