PAST EVENTS IN THE HISTORY OF GREAT GRIMSBY

Civic Insignia and Plate

The Civic insignia consists of one large mace and two smaller maces and the Mayor's Chain and Badge of office.

The large Mace of Gilt Silver is 2 foot 9 inches long and consists of a plain shaft divided by knobs into four lengths with a hemispherical mace head, encircled by a Coronet of probably crosses and "fleurs de lis", now all broken off, with intermediate bulls. Around the head are the Rose, Fleur de lis and Thistle, severally crowned and between the letters, C.R. and on the top are the Royal Arms and supporters of the Stuart Sovereigns. Below the Coronet is a band inscribed "This mace was renewed and augmented at the cost of Colonel Edward King an.dom. 1645, Mr John Moore being Mayor". On the first section or grip of the shaft is engraved, "Restored 22nd July 1879 by Henry James Veal, Mayor. To commemorate the visit of their Royal Highnesses, the Prince and Princess of Wales to Great Grimsby to open the Union Dock and to unveil the statue of the late Prince Consort". On the end of the shaft are engraved the Borough Arms. There are no hall marks.

The smallest mace is of silver, 12 inches long and quite plain although it retains traced of gilding on the head. The shaft is divided by bands into four lengths, of which the first, has six open work flanges attached. The head, a flattened hemisphere with a small pierced cresting resembling "fleurs de lis" with the points broken off, has on top an ornamental shield with the Royal Arms of the Stuart Sovereigns. This Mace is one of the few left in the country which preserve the original shape and character of the mace from the days when it was used as a weapon and thus is probably older than the large mace.

The third Mace is 12 inches in length and made of silver. The shaft is divided into three sections by bands and is surmounted by a hemispherical mace head. Around the head are four compartments engraved alternatively with the town arms and Royal Arms of the Stuarts, whilst on the top is a shield of the Royal Arms of the Tudors.

It is the largest of these three maces which is carried by the Mayor's Mace Bearer in front of the Mayor, as an emblem of his authority, on all ceremonial occasions.

The Mayor's Chain is of gold and consists of three fold series of admiralty chain cable links attached to a god brooch with the Borough Arms in relief. On the back of the brooch is inscribed: "This Chain was purchased by the Mayor, Aldermen and Burgesses of Great Grimsby to commemorate the laying of the first stone of the New Dock at Great Grimsby by His Highness, Prince Albert on the 19th April 1849. William Heaford Daubney Esq., Mayor"

The Mayor's Badge, also of gold, is worn pendant from the brooch. It bears a picture of the Hydraulic Tower at Grimsby Docks, with steamships in front and a shield of the Borough Arms below. On the back is the following inscription: "In commemoration of the visit to the Borough of Her Most Gracious Majesty Queen Victoria, His Highness Prince Albert, the Prince of Wales and other Members of the Royal Family on the 14th October 1854. Robert Keetley, Esq., Mayor"

In addition, the Borough possesses two further Chains. One is worn by the Mayoress. This is a smaller and lighter reproduction of the Mayoral Chain. It was given to the town by a former Mayor (Alderman T.C. Moss, J.P.) and bears the inscriptions: "County Borough of Grimsby presented by Alderman T.C. Moss, J.P., in memory of his wife, Mayoress of Grimsby 1915/16". As a result of the generosity of the Great Grimsby Chamber of Commerce and Shipping. Grimsby also possesses another Gold chain which is worn by the Mayor on occasions when the full Mayoral Chain would not be appropriate.

In 1957, the Grimsby Chamber of Trade presented a High Steward's Staff in silver and ebony, designed and made by Mr. Trumble of the School of Art. Sir Walter Womersley, High Stweard at the time of the gift was made, was one of the founders of the Chamber of Trade.

Over the years gifts of plate have been given to the town by various members of the Council and local organisations, but considering the fact that Grimsby has had a Mayor continuously since 1202, it is interesting to note that a more extensive collection of plate does not exist.

In March 1978, the Grimsby Borough Council took onto permanent loan, the silver which belonged to H.M.S. Grimsby, a J Class "Fleet Sweeper", sunk in the Mediterranean during the Second World War.

There is also a chain for the Deputy Mayor which was a gift from the Director of Bennetts & Co (Grimsby) Limited in 1980 to commemorate the mayoralty of C.A. Brocklesby in 1979/80.

All of these items of civic insignia and plates etc, may be viewed in the glass fronted cases of which there are six in the Town Hall, one of which is in the Mayor's Parlour, one just outside the Mayor's Parlour, two on the mezzanine floor and two on the first floor.