Richard Evans’ Rummer and Toddy Ladle

Two items engraved in similar script bear the monogram ‘RE’ and are presumed to have belonged to Richard Evans (1797-1859). They are a late eighteenth century glass rummer and a slightly battered silver Toddy Ladle, hallmarked London 1727.

The Rummer has always been believed to be a Christening present for Richard Evans born in 1797, baptised in 1800. The date matches the style of glass and it would appear to be a suitable present to mark the baptism on 27 Sep 1800 of the first born son of the Inn Keeper of the Red Lion in the centre of Wolverhampton. The Red Lion was to establish itself as the premier coaching inn in Wolverhampton for a period around 1805 to 1815.

The Toddy ladle is a far more complicated object to understand. It is hallmarked London 1727 (Crown, Lion and ‘M’) and engraved ‘RE’ with a ‘B’ in the same floral script below. On the bottom of the ladle are the letters more crudely carved ‘P T-E’ . If the object did belong to Richard Evans it clearly was not new to him because of its date, nor indeed would it have been new to his father, also Richard Evans.

The maker’s mark would indicate that it was made by George Greenhill Jones, who worked in London 1725 to 1748 and specialised in such objects. The handle is made of whale bone and is original. The year 1727 would have to take it back even before Richard Evans grandfather, John Evans who was probably born in about 1740. The fact that it was made in London may suggest that ‘P T-E’ was an earlier owner. Given that the daily London to Dublin coach passed through the Inn for a significant period after the turn of the century, it is not difficult to see how it could arrive as a gift of some kind. As the household lived in a busy Coaching Inn it might well be important to ensure ones name is engraved on such a valued piece of metal work.

Last updated on 2 February 2022 by JJ Morgan