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1838 - Incredibly Early Queen Victoria
and Lord John Russell Signed License
to Colonel Sir John Gaspard Le Marchant - Double Knight of the Empire
Item Ref: BSL - Victoria - 1838
Queen Victoria Rex
Lord John Russell
Victoria Regina
(1819- 1901)
Lord John Russell,
1st Earl Russell (1792 – 1878)
In the First Year of Her Reign, By the Grace of God, Queen of the United Kingdom of
Great
Britain and
Scotland, Defender of the Faith - Queen Victoria's Official 1838 License
to Knight Colonel Sir John Gaspard Le Marchant permitting him to wear
the Honours of his Spanish Knighthood at the Royal Court in addition
to his English Knighthood. Victoria's Fine Bold
Signature, is joined by the signature of Lord John Russell as Home Secretary
later to be twice Prime Minister of Great Britain. A Beautifully
Preserved and Handsome Royal License.
Biographical Note
Known as Lord John Russell before 1861, the 1st Earl Russell was a Whig politician who served twice as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom. In 1834, when the leader of the Commons, Lord Althorp, succeeded to the peerage as Earl Spencer, Russell became the leader of the Whigs in the Commons, a position he maintained for the rest of the decade, until the Whigs fell from power in 1841. In this position, Russell continued to lead the more reformist wing of the Whig party, calling, in particular, for religious freedom, and, as Home Secretary in the late 1830s, played a large role in democratizing the government of British cities. At the time of this royal license he was acting as Home Secretary for Prime Minister Lord Melbourne as they guided the young Queen Victoria through her early years as Monarch. The Whigs were turned out in 1841 but regained power in 1846 as Russell became Prime Minister, a role he reprised in 1865. An interesting sidebar is that Gaspard's brother Denis Le Marchant ended up being Lord Russell's Under-Secretary for the Board of Trade in 1847 and succeeded in getting Gaspard appointed to the Lt. Governorship of Newfoundland.
Sir John Gaspard Le Marchant (1803 - 1874)
Gaspard Le Marchant was born of a distinguished Guernsey family in 1803 in England. He enjoyed a successful Military Career, becoming one of the youngest officers in the British Army to command a regiment. He served both on behalf of the Crown as well as in Foreign Service for the King of Spain. He was knighted by both Spain and Great Britain and served as a Colonial Administrator, first as Lt. Governor of Newfoundland (1847-1852), then promoted to Lt. Governor of Nova Scotia (pursuant to this Royal Appointment 1852-1858), later holding the post of Governor General of Malta (1859-1864), and finally ending his career as Commander-in-Chief of Madras in India (1865-1868). An interesting side note is that when he left the military to enter administration, he went to Wellington and asked if it was wise, to which Wellington suggested that it would enhance his career. But he never left colonial administration and missed the Crimean War where many of his peers advanced past him to become Major Generals.
4 page
Document – Signed and Dated: May 4th 1838
Text as Follows:
[signed] Victoria Rx
Victoria, by the Grace of
God, of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, Queen Defender
of the Faith. To Our Right Trusty and Right Entirely beloved Cousin and
Councillor Bernard Edward Duke of Norfolk Earl Marshal and Our
Hereditary Marshal of England Knight of Our Most Noble Order of the
Garter Greeting Whereas the Queen Regent of Spain hath been pleased to
confer upon Our Trusty and Well beloved Major Sir John Gaspard Le
Marchant Knight of the Third Cass of the National and Military Order of
St. Ferdinand and Brigadier General in the Service of the Catholic
Majesty the Insignia of a Supernumerary Knight of the Royal and
Distinguished Order of Charles the Third in testimony of Her Royal
Approbation o his Services in the Action of the 1st of October 1836 and
being graciously pleased to approve thereof Know Ye that We of Our
Princely Grace and Special Favour have given and granted and by these
Presents to give and grant unto him the said Sir John Gaspard Le
Marchant our Royal License and Permission that he may avail himself of
the said Mark of her Catholic Majesty’s Favour and accept and wear the
Insignia of a Supernumerary Knight of the Royal and Distinguished Order
of Charles the Third and that he may enjoy all the rights and privileges
thereunto annexed:
Our Will and Pleasure therefore is that You Bernard Edward Duke of
Norfolk to whom the cognizance of matters of this nature doth properly
belong do require and command that this Our Concession and Especial Mark
of Our Royal Favour together with the relative Documents to be
registered in Our College of Arms to the End that Our Officers of Arms
and all others upon occasion may take full notice and have knowledge
thereof: And for so doing this shall be your Warrant.
Given at Our Court at Saint James’s this fourth day of May 1838 in the
First year of Our Reign.
By Her Majesty’s Command
[signed] J Russell [Home Secretary]
Docketed as follows on
third page:
Recorded in the College of Arms London together with the relative
Document pursuant to a warrant from the Earl Marshal of England this
tenth day of May 1838.
[signed]
Charles George Young
York Herald [of Arms in Ordinary] & Register
The Earl Marshal, a hereditary office held by the Duke of Norfolk, oversees the College of Arms and although not a member of that body himself, arms may not be granted without his consent. It is the Earl Marshal who must make application to the Monarch and upon approval then usually turns the heraldic process over to the professional heralds of the College. Sir Charles George Young went on to become the Garter Principle King of Arms in 1842 - Herald of England.
Docketed as follows on
fourth page:
License - Major Sir John Gaspard Le Marchant to accept and wear the
Insignia of a Supernumerary Knight of the Order of Charles the Third
[signed] Wm Woods Clarenceux [Herald of England]
Herald College London
Sir William Woods (Clarenceux) was then the Garter Principle King of
Arms in 1842 - Herald of England and was succeeded in this office by the
above mentioned Charles George Young. The Herald of England - Garter -
is the senior King of Arms and the senior Officer of Arms of the College
of Arms. He is responsible to the Earl Marshal for the running of the
College. Garter is the principal adviser to the Sovereign of the United
Kingdom with respect to ceremonial and heraldry, with specific
responsibility for England, Wales and Northern Ireland, and for
Commonwealth realms of which The Monarch is Sovereign.
Document Specifications: This is a beautiful Autographed Document dated May 4th 1838, a 4 page folded small folio, writing only on three pages, measures 8" x 12½" (folded as shown). Queen Victoria's Signature is Bold across the top and below to the Left is the Embossed Official Seal of Paper over Wax - Inscribed within are the Shield, and in Latin, "Queen of Britain by the Grace of God", and with the Motto of the Order of the Garter- "Honi Soit Qui Mal y Pense" (liberally translated as: shame to one who thinks evil of honor). Also Revenue Stamped with an albino £1 10Sh Embossed Stamp and a docketing Seal "London 8 5 38" in circle with crown in Black. Great Seal is shown folded but actually extends out past the shown margin to the left. On the second page Lord John Russell has signed as the Home Secretary. Some very slight fold tears, minimally invasive and well away from any text, signature or seals. Watermarked "J&M 1837" and Royal Watermark. An incredibly early Queen Victoria Signature and future two-time Prime Minister signature granting a License to one of the Major Colonial Administrators and War heroes of the Empire. A beautiful document showing the Proper Procedure to Request, Approve and Record an Official Royal License to Wear Honours.
Offered
by Berryhill & Sturgeon, Ltd.