Silver Trophy Presented by Noted Abolitionist & Governor of Guyana

Silver Trophy Presented by Noted Abolitionist and Governor of Guyana Major General Sir James Carmichael-Smyth and made in London by William Eaton, 1830. The piece of Campagna urn form with applied bands of cast foliate ornament either side of an inscribed central panel. The inscription reads: ‘Presented by the governor Major General Sir James Carmichael-Smyth 1831’. On the reverse is an image of ships at sea, represented racing and flying British flags. Intriguingly there is another trophy of near identical form, by the same maker, made in 1835 and presented by Carmichael-Smyth to his Godson Charles Wildey Austin in 1837 Major General Sir James Carmichael-Smyth (1779-1838): Eldest son of Scottish physician James Carmichael-Smyth Snr, “our” James was educated at Charterhouse School before moving on to the Royal Military Academy at Woolwich. After graduation, he joined the Royal Engineers in 1795. His early career was spent largely in southern Africa, becoming one of the main engineering officers in the continent. In 1808 he moved to Spain until 1809, then moving on to serve in the low countries between 1813-1815 and commanded the Royal Corps of Engineers & Sappers at Waterloo in 1815. He was responsible for creating a plan of the grounds in advance of the battle which Wellington used extensively in his battle plans. As a result of this success, Carmichael-Smyth was recruited to Wellington’s Board of Ordnance and made a baronet in 1821 through Wellington’s recommendation. After years surveying defences in the Commonwealth and north America, he was promoted to Major General in May of 1825 and was made governor of the Bahamas in 1829, serving there until 1833 when he was transferred to British Guyana in the same role. He died in 1838 in Guyana. Carmichael-Smyth stood against slavery in both the Bahamas and Guyana, to the point that it was the unhappy slave owners in the Bahamas who eventually succeeded in having him removed as governor. His refusal to bow to the vested interests of the plantation owners on the Assembly were to cost him his job but not his principals and this fine silver trophy is a testament to a gentleman of dignity and morals.