The Viceroy, Lord Mayo’s sword, with a presentation inscription of 1873

The General Officer’s 1822 pattern sword has a 33½ ins blade and brass Gothic hilt with crossed baton and sword device, the wire boud grip being of fish skin. It has the first pattern pipe backed blade which in txhis case carries a unique inscription [the lettering in bold type actually appears using Gothic lettering]: THIS SWORD BELONGED TO Lord Mayo Viceroy of India AND AFTER HIS Assassination ON THE 8th February 1872 WAS GIVEN BY Lady Mayo TO M.G.J. BGG BGG . Th sword is in its very heavy duty service scabbard as Lord Mayo is seen wearing when he appears in contemporary photographs in uniform. It is in very sound condition although has clearly been well used so that little of the original gilt finish of the hilt remains. We attach an old image showing Lord Mayo wearing the sword.

I have not been able to decide the name of the recipient, made difficult by the use of initials and Gothic letters. If my interpretation of the Gothic capitals following the initials is correct I thought it could refer to an officer of the Bodyguard of the Governor General but this does not fit. So I offer this unique item with much scope for further research. jun26/1

Richard Southwell Burke, 6th Earl of Mayo [1822 -72] had the singular misfortune of being the one Viceroy to die at the hands of an assassin. He had been a very energetic ruler who travelled around India more than any of his predecessors had done and his economic and agricultural reforms left a lasting mark. His promising Viceroyalty was violently cut short when, after visiting the penal settlement on the Andaman Islands [prison reform was a particular interest of his], he was stabbed to death by an Afghan  convict as he was boarding a boat at dusk on 8th February 1872.

It may seem odd that Lord Mayo should wear a general officer’s pattern sword  as he had not held that rank butno one would challenge a Viceroy’s choice of sword by explanation could well be that he used one given to him by his younger brother, John Jocelyn, a veteran of the Indian Mutiny who had retired with the rank of Lieutenant General.

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