West Bromwich Presentation Trowel, 1861

This is a large silver presentation trowel given for the founding of a school for the poor of West Bromwich in the West Midlands. It has a superb feel in the hand and has an excellent haft decorated with floral motifs on an architectural design, that is typical of the mid-Victorian period.The junction between the handle and blade is a particularly attractive feature. The blade is fully marked for a rarely found Birmingham maker and the haft has Sheffield marks for John Biggin - hafts were often bought in from specialist makers and separately marked - although made by two makers these two pieces were always intended to be together. The flat blade is engraved with the following inscription:-

Ragged schools were charitable organisations dedicated to the free education of destitute children in 19th-century Britain. The schools were developed in working-class districts of the rapidly expanding industrial towns. The West Bromwich ragged school was  opened by a body of trustees in a newly erected building in Moor Street in 1863. There was an infants' ragged school by 1868. In January 1871 the average attendance was 150.