Name: Auction: TAXIDERMY ALDABRA GIANT TORTOISE 20TH CENTURY
Brand: Lyon & Turnbull
Price: 7560 GBP
Availability: OutOfStock

Day One: 22 February 2023 | From 10am

Day Two: 23 February 2023 | From 10am

Sale number: 727&nbsp; Featuring a Collection of Weaponry from KimmerghameThe weaponry in Lots 123 to 128 are from Kimmerghame, by Duns, the family home of the Late Major General Sir John Swinton, KCVO., OBE., DL (1925-2018). He began his military career in 1944 with the Scots Guards, rising in rank to Major General in 1976. He was also Brigadier of the Queen’s Body Guard for Scotland (Royal Company of Archers) in 1977, and retired from Army life in 1979. With his strong military background, he was appointed Deputy Lieutenant for Berwickshire in 1980 and Lord Lieutenant from 1989 to 2000. A high point of his tenure was escorting the Stone of Scone back to Scotland in 1996.The Swinton family history and ownership of land in Berwickshire can be traced to the early part of the 12th century, when Ernulf de Swinton received one of the first private charters recorded in Scotland which confirmed his property from David I of Scotland (1084-1153). This is one of two original charters of David I kept in the cartulary of Durham; both are to Ernulf and also refer to Ernulf’s father (Udard), grandfather (Liulf) and great-grandfather (Eadulf) as holding the land before him. This would make Eadulf the first land owner of Scotland whose ownership could be proved, and means that the Swinton family would by this hypothesis be one of only three (the two others being the Arden and Berkeley families) that could trace its unbroken land ownership and lineage to before the Norman Conquest, making it one of the oldest landed families in Britain.Kimmerghame itself was the site of an earlier house, the home of Sir Andrew Home in the 1730s. The lands and estate of Kimmerghame came into the ownership of the family of Swinton in 1776 when Archibald Swinton of Manderston married Henrietta Campbell of Blythswood in Glasgow. This older house was demolished and rebuilt in the early 1850s, the architect being the celebrated David Bryce, who employed some materials from the older house. Bryce’s Scots Baronial house was substantially damaged by fire in 1938 and only partially rebuilt. The family still retains Kimmerghame and its contents.The Swinton family have had strong connections with the Army and the legal profession. They were also keen on supporting artists over the generations.Archibald Campbell of Blythswood (circa 1763 –13 June 1838) was a Scottish landowner and politician. He was born Archibald Douglas, the second son of Col. James Douglas of Mains who inherited the vast Blythswood estate in Glasgow stretching west from Buchanan Street to the River Kelvin in 1767 and was thereafter known as Campbell of Blythswood. His mother was Henrietta Dunlop, daughter of James Dunlop of Garnkirk. On his father's death the estate passed to the first son Lt Col John Campbell, but on John's death (having being killed in Martinique in 1794) the estate passed to Archibald. Those parts closest to Glasgow were then sold to developers, most notably William Harley, to create the New Town of Blythswood, which John Campbell had enabled by Act of Parliament in 1792.He joined the British Army and was a captain in the 1st Foot in 1790 and was promoted to major in 1794. He retired from the army when he inherited the family estate at Blythswood, Renfrewshire, in 1802. He was then Senior Bailie for the City of Glasgow from 1802, elected MP for Glasgow Burghs 1806–09, Elgin Burghs 1812, Perth Burghs 1818–20, and Glasgow Burghs 1820–31. He served as Lord-lieutenant of Renfrewshire from 1826 to his death and as Rector of Glasgow University from 1809 to 1811. This sword was the parting gift from the officers and privates of the Nineth Renfrewshire Yeomanry on his decommission.Archibald Swinton of Manderston (1731-1804) married Campbell’s sister, Henrietta Campbell of Blythswood born circa 1756, in Glasgow in 1776. Her dowry included the lands and estate of Kimmerghame which came into the ownership of the Swinton family. Campbell was unmarried and on his death the Blythswood lands passed to his second cousin Archibald Douglas of Mains, who also then adopted the surname of Campbell. It can be assumed that upon her brother’s death this sword passed to Henrietta's children and hence by decent through the Swinton family.&nbsp;

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TAXIDERMY ALDABRA GIANT TORTOISE

20TH CENTURY

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