Lot 287
A Victorian presentation trowel
BIRMINGHAM 1875 BY THOMAS PRIME & SON
Auction: 13 February 2008 at 11:00 GMT
Description
by Thomas Prime & Sons, Birmingham 1875, the diamond shaped blade with cross hatched and stylised flower head border with presentation inscription below 'Presented to The Right Hon The Earl of Mar & Kellie DEPUTY GRAND MASTER OF SCOTLAND, by John Melvin & Son Architects, Alloa, on the occasion of his laying, with Masonic Honours, the foundation stone of the Alloa Burgh School. 8th October 1875' in gothic script, the centre engraved with an elevation of the school building, with heavy cast foliate handle and spirally fluted ivory grip with ball finial, in original fitted case with retailers label 'R STRANG & Son / ALLOA'
Dimensions
blade 22cm long, overall length 36.5cm
Footnote
Notes:
The trowel was presented to the Earl by John Melvin, Senior architect of the building, who commenced his career as a joiner in the family business but moved to Edinburgh where he went through a course in the 'study and practice of architecture'. In 1826 he returned to his native town and began business as 'master joiner and architect'. John Melvin Junior was born in 1855 and was articled to his father before seeking Edinburgh experience with George Beattie & Son. He returned to Alloa as partner to his father's architecture business in 1874 and also worked on the building of the new Burgh school.
The occasion of the laying of the foundation stone was an important affair in Alloa, the Earl of Marr and Kellie when addressing the ceremony stated 'that it gave him great pleasure to preside on such an interesting occasion. It was the first time that he had had the honour of laying the foundation stone of any building and he considered it a great compliment when he was asked by the the School Board'
Unusually the ceremony was performed with full Masonic honours at the request of the Earl ' he could not officiate in his private capacity, and that the ceremony should be performed with Masonic honours' . A full account and report of the ceremony itself were reported in the local newspapers, where mention of the trowel is made, stating it 'was furnished by Messers Robert Strang & Son, watch makers and manufacturing jewellers, Alloa'. As this trowel is in a named fitted box and they are described as manufacturing jewellers, it seems likely they would have bought the trowel in blank and engraved the detail to the piece. This is hard to prove but such a close representation of the school would only have been possible with local knowledge.
The ceremony itself was a large affair with large crowds from the Burgh schools, local community and the Grand Lodge of Scotland in attendance. The building of new schools at this time was quite a regular occurrence in Scotland with the passing and continued interest in the Education act. The Education act had taken a deep hold over Scotland and the want and need for new and purpose built schools became quickly evident. Alloa had been waiting for almost 30 years for a new school building. Until the building of the new school, classes had been held in the hall situated on the same site. The attendance of schools within the Alloa Burgh had previous to the new Education act been approximately 1093, only a year after the passing of the act the number had risen to 1284, this was a time when it was not considered standard or even a necessity to attend any type of schooling.
Extracts taken from a full report published in 'The Alloa Advertiser' 9th October 1875