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[email protected] 1 5 www.lyonandturnbull.com Jacobite - pages 1:Layout 1 17/4/15 15:04 Page 20 20 Lyon & Turnbull 20 The Four Peers ring - an important mid 18th century Jacobite gold and enamel ring the shaped rectangular head of white enamel with four initials and coronets to corners with dates surrounding an executioners axe to centre in gold, the shoulders formed as a rose and thistle in green, white and pink enamels, the interwoven shank with gold detailed initials and dates on a white enamel ground Provenance: Commissioned by Lord Francis Oliphant of Gask Gifted to Judge James Graham of Airth or his son William Graham of Airth. By direct descent to Mrs Ann Graham of Airth (nee Stirling of Ardoch) By direct descent to her great grandson Colonel Stirling of Kippendavie By direct descent £15,000-25,000 Jacobite - pages 1:Layout 1 17/4/15 15:04 Page 21 Jacobite, Stuart & Scottish Applied Arts 21 The ‘Four Peers Ring’ is perhaps one of the most undisturbed, the whole day with his drummer, iconic and romantic examples of Jacobite jewellery enlisting all who offered themselves……, ‘to each of and contemporary relic. While relic normally denotes whom a white cockade was given, and a bounty of five a fragment or part of a revered place, person or guineas promised. object these important rings were created at a There were nine officers from the Manchester contemporary moment as a commemorative Regiment executed on 30th July 1746. While many memorial for the Peers and high ranking Officers who regiments, families and men felt the force of gave the greatest sacrifice for the cause they so Hanoverian recrimination those laid down on the staunchly upheld. The execution of these men was Manchester regiment were ferocious, a regiment of not only a defining moment in the aftermath of the English men in the service of the Scots (as was seen uprising and Jacobite history but shows the fear and by the Hanoverians) had to be punished. It is said recrimination of the Scots and the Clans which the “This unit indeed was treated with a ferocity which Hanoverian dynasty dealt after the defeat of Culloden. indicated that its degree of culpability was held to be The aftermath of the battle was not the only higher than that of any other in the Jacobite army”. recrimination for the nation, the butchery on the field FT – Francis Towneley – immortalised with George of battle, the humiliation of the Prince and Stuarts, Fletcher with their decapitated heads on a spike in an and the seizing of lands and titles from those involved anonymous contemporary engraving. was not enough. A public face had to be put to the AB – Andrew Blood defeat and in the absence of a Stuart the closest thing TD – Thomas Theodore Deacon were his most trusted and closest advisors and TS – Thomas Sydall supporters. DM – David Morgan Those who had not fled and were captured were JD – James Dawson punished to varied degrees but those of the ‘Four GF – George Fletcher Peers’ no doubt the harshest. TC – Thomas Chadwick This important ring is one of only four recorded JB – John Beswick examples, the only in private hands and of the them, 22nd August 1747 arguably, the finest in survival and provenance. JN – James Nicolson who was an owner of a coffee Three others are known to survive, all within house in Leith, and held a commission as Lieutenant institutional collections, National Museums Scotland Etching of Francis Towneley and George Fletcher’s heads on spikes by unknown artist. Published 20 September 1746. © in the Duke of Perth’s regiment. It was stated at his (H.NJ 154), two within the British Museum (1418 and National Portrait Gallery, London. trial that he was an uncle of Donald McDonald. 1490, the latter Ex Sir A. W. Franks Collection). D McD – Donald McDonald or McDonell was a Captain Although unmarked, it has long been considered in Keppoch’s regiment. within the Jacobite families who owned these rings were only hung rather than their original sentence that they originated from Oliphant of Gask family and that to be hung, drawn and quartered. WO – Walter Ogilvie was a Lieutenant in Lord Lewis of were presented to surviving and staunch Jacobite Gordon’s Regiment. The Manchester Regiment families for their work and effort within the cause. The men immortalised on the shank of the ring show 28th November 1746 It has long been considered, although never proven, the variety of classes, regiments and geographical JW – Sir John Wedderburn, Bart., of Blackness, was that these rings were commissioned from Ebenezer origins of the officers fighting under Prince Charles. captured in arms at Culloden. He had also acted in Oliphant, Goldsmith in Edinburgh, by Lord Francis This group of men were somewhat overlooked on the capacity of Collector of Excise for the Jacobites in Oliphant of Gask. While not proven a more likely their executions after those of the Peers whose Perthshire and Forfarshire. He appealed for mercy at candidate cannot be considered. Ebenezer Oliphant’s involvement was even more political. The executions the end without success. place within the Jacobite establishment as brother of were staged in three batches, all commemorated on JB – James Bradshaw was serving in Elcho’s Life the Laird of Gask, cousin to Laurence Oliphant, the shank. Guards at the time he was captured, although he had Goldsmith and Aide de Campe to Prince Charles originally been in the Manchester Regiment, which Edward Stuart, and his own place as renowned The Manchester Regiment was formed during the end likely was the reason he was executed. Jacobite Goldsmith all make him the likely, if not the November 1745 as a regiment of foot under the only, candidate. Indeed, the production of such rings command of Francis Towneley. In response to the JH – Colonel John Hamilton raised a considerable supporting the Jacobites would have been a very advancing Jacobite army and success they had seen, number of men in the Gordon country, and was dangerous offence and so close to the defeat at they joined Prince Charles’ army marching south to Governor of the Castle of Carlisle at the time of its Culloden could only have been made by the Derby on 1st December. However, they were almost surrender. staunchest of supporters. It is not surprising that the immediately forced to retreat to Carlisle. Their AL – Alexander Leith was a Captain in Glenbucket’s ring is unmarked as any 18th century hallmarked support of the Jacobite cause would ultimately lead to regiment. Although he was said to be old and infirm Scottish jewellery is scarce. Also advertising the maker execution or transportation for many of the regiment. he was still executed. of such a piece, if it were found by Hanoverian The regiment had been started by a deserter from the AW – Andrew Wood was a shoemaker from supporters, would surely have guaranteed problems Hanoverian troops who had been captured at Glasgow and Captain in Roy Stuart’s regiment. and re-crimination for the craftsmen. Gladsmuir. He began recruitment in the city and, He made a speech on the scaffold stating that The Oliphants had been key supporters of the Stuart although reports vary, his successes were obvious, he raised a company at his own expense. enlisting around 180 men (some reports suggesting claim and had been vocal opposition to the Act of The belief they had in their cause is upwards of 600, one as few as 30). This success was Union in 1707. They had been with King James in the seen in the final moments in Thomas hardly guaranteed as he arrived in Manchester with uprising of 1715 and played an active role in support, Theodore Deacon’s speech to the only his mistress and drummer as support, some funding and propaganda for the ’45. The 10th Lord assembled crowd. reports suggesting the whole affair was against escaped after Culloden to Sweden and latterly lived in “I am come here to pay the superior’s orders and one of his own invention. The France. He bought his amnesty in 1763 and returned last debt to nature, and I process, official or otherwise, in the number of 30 or to Scotland but did not stop his staunch and open think myself happy in 600 must have been a sight. Jacobite support. having an “Within an hour of his arrival he began to beat up for The original owner of this example of ‘The Four Peers opportunity of Ring’ could not have been closer to the uprising and recruits. The populace did not at first interrupt him, its aftermath, John Graham of Airth being not only a conceiving that the whole army was near the supporter but self-proclaimed defender of the town…….they surrounded him in a tumultuous Jacobites after the defeat in 1715.