This silver hot water jug is hallmarked 1888 London and engraved ‘June 1889 from ASH & MFSH’. It is listed in the newspaper report of the wedding gifts at the marriage of Henry Evans and Florence Marten
Wedding present from the Staveley Hills – June 1889
ASH, therefore stands for Alexander Staveley Hill (1825-1905) QC and MP for Kingswinford. His father Henry Hill was involved in the precursors of the Wolverhampton and Staffordshire Bank in the early nineteenth century. This is the bank in which Henry Evans slowly progressed to become Manager. It is likely that Alexander was also a member of the Wolverhampton Volunteers which counted James Forsyth amongst its members.
MFSH stands for Mary Frances Staveley Hill (1836-1897), second wife of Alexander and the daughter of Francis Baird, famous for the Baird Works in St Petersburg.
Alexander Staveley Hill was probably also an acquaintance and friend of Henry Marten, father of the bride who was at the time heavily engaged in parliamentary work for the Severn commissioners. Henry’s brother Alfred George Marten was also a QC, former MP and former fellow of St John’s College (Cambridge rather than Oxford).