The Badge
A Victorian two coloured, rose and yellow, gold ceremonial badge of fancy shield shaped form; the flanged border with applied acorn and oak leaf decoration surrounding a centrally mounted enamelled portrait miniature of Queen Victoria enclosed within a blue enamelled garter ribbon surround below an enamelled crown and mounted with enamelled crossed mace and axe decoration and all surmounted by a fancy turreted crown; the front is inscribed “Borough of Wokingham A.D.1887. Her Majesty Queen Victoria. Jubilee Year” and on the reverse “Alderman Thos. M Westcott. Mayor of Wokingham 1885-6. 1886-7”
Stamped – 18ct. Makers Mark ‘T & J.B’
Weight: – 74.2 grams
It is reputed that the badge was purchased privately in honour of Queen Victoria’s Golden Jubilee 1887 and worn during that year by the first Mayor of Wokingham, Alderman Thomas Manley Westcott. No official Mayoral Badge having been procured at that time.
The Chain
An 18 carat two coloured, rose and yellow, gold ceremonial chain comprising of nineteen shaped oblong textured panels arranged at equidistant intervals separated by two rows of double openwork spacer links each surmounted by a turreted crown and with applied blue enamelled shield depicting a monogram, with added modern safety chain.
Hallmark: – Birmingham 1936
Maker’s Mark: – T & J.B
Weight: – 135 grams
It will be noted that the Hallmark dates of the Badge and Chain differ immensely 1886 and 1936. However, they were presented together to the Borough of Wokingham Council in 1937 by Councillor Miss Dorothy Westcott, daughter of the first Mayor of Wokingham.
The box reads “This Chain and Medallion was presented to the Borough of Wokingham by Councillor Miss D Wescott, March 4th 1937. The medallion was worn during the Jubilee year 1887 by her father who was first Mayor of this Borough.”
Wokingham Town Museum Unique Identifier: WTH0032