Candelabrum

Maker & role
John Roberts & Co., Silversmith
Production date
1805

Object detail

Production place
Collection
Measurements
7:12, H: 49 x W: 16 x L: 41cm (H: 490 x W: 160 x L: 410mm)
Credit line
Purchase, with assistance of Members of the Historic Houses Trust of New South Wales, 1997
Elizabeth Bay House Collection, Museums of History New South Wales
Caption
Candelabra, part of a silver service provenanced to Major John Brown, made by John Roberts & Co., 1805
Description
Candelabra on circular base with egg and dart bands, fluted lower stem & sconce; the two-branch three-light arms with similar decoration.

Part of a silver service provenanced to Major John Brown. His career spanned the period when the British Empire was influential in India. His epitah reads "he was born on the 7th April, 1763, and entered the 52nd Foot as ensign in 1779. He went out with that Regiment to India in 1784 and was actively engaged in the campaigns of Lord Cornwallis and Gen. Sir W Meadows; participating in the seige and storming of Bangalore, 1791, & various other Hills Forts of lesser note. In 1782 he was present at the seige of Seringapatam, in command of the grenadiers of his regiment, who took a very prominent part in the storming of the lines of Tippoo Sahib on the night of the 6th February, when Major Brown received his first wound; his corps also suffering most severely. In 1793 he was at the siege of Pondichery & when returning to England in the following year, the ship in which he sailed was captured & taken by the French; suspected & accused of being a spy, the Major was carried prisoner to Mauritius (then in possession of the French), & was there arraigned for the odious offence. He was shortly afterwards acquitted & released, receiving a sword from the French Governor, as a token of the esteem & friendship contracted between them during his captivity. In 1798 he accompanied Lord Clive when going out as Governor of Madras, as his aide-de-camp, & remained with his lordship in that capacity until the year 1802. Again returning to England where he held several staff appointments (as Adjunct-General, for instance, under Lord Charles Somerset), Major Brown took part in the unfortunate Walcheren Expedition, & was aide-de-camp to General Houston there; receiving a severe wound during the advance of our forces from Middleborough to Flushing, and being present at the capture of the latter place. In June 1810 he joined the 90th foot, as Major in command, where he remained until 1813, when he sold out "after having honourably served his country for a period of thirty-four years". Major Brown lived out the rest of his life in the county of Salop & died on the 9th November, 1855 at the age of 93 & was considered the oldest officer in Her Majesty's service.
Accession number
EB97/20-7:12

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