An Edwardian silver regimental goblet

An Edwardian silver regimental goblet, the 4th Battalion, The Royal Fusiliers, (City of London Regiment)

by Searle and Co., London 1903,

the plain circular bowl engraved 'Presented to the Officers 4th Battn. Royal Fusiliers by Bt. Lt. Col S. Lawford, 11 December 1903', the reverse engraved 'Offered Back on Disbandment of the Battalion as a memento June 1922', the stem with trailing ivy, on a raised circular foot, beaded border, height 16cm, approx. weight 12.5oz.

Provenance: a Private Collection of Regimental Silver.

Elements of the Battalion were deployed to South Africa in 1901 and were organised as mounted infantry employed to protect lines of communication and columns against the Boers.

Major Sydney Lawford, previously with the 2nd Battalion was already in South Africa serving as a Special Service Officer. He was appointed to command the Mounted Infantry Battalion.

Sydney Lawford was educated at Wellington College, and he entered Sandhurst in 1883. He was commissioned in 1885. After South Africa the regiment was deployed to Ireland until 1909. In 1907 he left the 4th Battalion and joined the School of Mounted Infantry at Longmore Camp. In 1912 he became Commandant there.

When the 1st World War broke out Brigadier General Sydney Lawford was appointed commander of 22nd Infantry brigade, 7th Division. After the war and now Major General he took up the appointment of General Officer Commanding Lahore District in India.

He went on to have a scandalous affair with May Aylen, the wife of one of his officers, who fell pregnant.

Divorce proceedings were initiated after the birth of a boy named Peter. Sydney Lawford and May Aylen were ostracized by friends and society. In 1937 the Lawfords moved to Hollywood, and they were keen to push their son into acting.

Sir Sydney died in 1953. Peter Lawford married Patricia Kennedy, the sister of JF Kennedy in 1954. He gained fame with the 'Rat Pack' of the 1960's, and he died in 1985.