LEMA: Lachlan Macquarie's Sword and Scabbard: Background

Background

Macquarie was a career soldier who had served in North America, West Indies, India, Ceylon and Egypt. He returned overland to Britain from Bombay in October 1807, via the Persian Gulf, Persia, Russia and the Baltic.

The date of acquisition by Macquarie for this particular sword is currently unknown. The evidence suggests he purchased it either immediately before or after his wedding to Elizabeth Campbell of Airds in Devon on 5 November 1807. He first arrived in London from India on 17 October. Allowing for a brief period in which he could have visited the noted London merchant and sword cutler John Justus Runkel there was a similar brief period during his honeymoon in London in November in which he could have arranged for the purchase of a new sword with the figure "73" engraved in a disk on the main knuckle bow of the grip. In December 1807 Macquarie travelled north with his new bride to Perth, Scotland, to take up the lieutenant-colonelcy of the 73rd Regiment of Foot for the first time since his return from India. There are no surviving Macquarie journals or letters for the period November 1807-December 1808.

Clearly, like many military and naval officers who purchased their own swords at this time, Macquarie was guided by personal taste and cost. There were no set regulations prescribing which specific style of sword he should acquire. Consequently Macquarie celebrated his Scottish heritage by choosing a sword with a Scottish type (or half-basket) hilt, with a decorative thistle relief, and the number of his new regiment engraved on the main knuckle-bow.

Although an acquisition date in October-November 1807 seems the most likely, there is an alternative date for early 1809. Macquarie and his wife and servants arrived in London on 20 January 1809 from Edinburgh, and took up residence at Mrs. Grove's Private Hotel at 49 Albermarle Street. This was his London address until 15 May, though between 28 February - 5 March Macquarie was absent at the Isle of Wight inspecting the 73rd Regiment in barracks, and making arrangements for the voyage to NSW. It is unclear whether Elizabeth accompanied him, but this seems somewhat unlikely given her weak state of health at that time. This is, however, somewhat less tenable as Runkel disappears from the historical record in 1808. If Macquarie acquired his sword prior to his departure for NSW in May 1809 the possibility exists that the blade could still have been bought from another sword cutler who had for sale residual stocks of Runkel-imported Solingen blades. Unfortunately evidence is currently lacking to resolve the issue, though a date in late 1807 seems the most likely.

[Macquarie, Lachlan. Memoranda & Related Papers [22 December 1808 - 14 July 1823]. ML Ref: A772: 'January-May 1809'].

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