THE 1ST EARL OF LIVERPOOL, A VICTORIAN SENTIMENTAL LOCKET NECKLACE
CIRCA 1880-1895
Designed as a snake link chain suspending ten gem set gold lockets, decorated with acrostic gem charges, reflecting the system of cadency, including a mullet, martlet, annulet or fleur-de-lys for the sons, and hearts for the daughters, each reverse engraved with initials and dates for each child, around a glazed compartment containing a lock of hair, unmarked
Size/dimensions: 39.5cm long
Gross weight: 78.1 grams
Provenance:
Cecil George Savile Foljambe, 1st Earl of Liverpool, PC (7 November 1846 - 23 March 1907) and The Countess Liverpool
Lady Rosamund Foljambe (1893-1974), later Countess of Leven
Thence by direct family descent.
The 1st Earl of Liverpool and his second wife, Susan Cavendish, The Countess Liverpool, had eleven children, the first ten represented by lockets as follows:
Gerald William Frederick Savile Foljambe, 3rd Earl of Liverpool (1878-1962), an officer in the Oxfordshire Light Infantry - a garnet set mullet, reverse engraved G.W.F.S.F., born 12 May 1878
Lady Edith Margaret Emily Mary Foljambe (1879-1962), married Brigadier-General D'Arcy Legard - an emerald set heart, reverse engraved E.M.E.M.F., born 6 Sept.r 1879
Lady Alice Etheldreda Georgiana Mary Foljambe (1880-1922), a painter - an amethyst heart beneath a diamond crescent, reverse engraved A.E.G.M.F, born 18 Sept 1880
Lady Mabel Evelyn Selina Mary Foljambe (1881-1915), married Dr. William Woodburn - a moonstone heart beneath a diamond mullet, reverse engraved M.E.S.M.F, born 25 Sept.r 1881
Brevet Major Honourable Josceline Charles William Savile Foljambe (1882-1916), an officer in the Northumberland Fusiliers, killed in action in the First World War - a zircon (jargoon) and diamond set martlet, reverse engraved J.C.W.S.F, born 16 Oct.r 1882
Margaret Susan Louisa Mary Foljambe (14 January 1884 - 16 January 1884), died in infancy - a moonstone heart in a black enamel surround with a rose cut diamond martlet above, reverse engraved M.S.L.M.F born 14 Jan.y 1884, died 16 Jan.y 1884
Lady Constance Blanche Alethea Mary Foljambe (1885-1977), married Reverend Hezekiah Hawkins - a carbuncle garnet heart beneath a rose cut diamond annulet, reverse engraved C.B.A.M.F, born 26th February 1885
Robert Anthony Edward St Andrew Savile Foljambe, 4th Earl of Liverpool (1887-1969) - a ruby annulet, reverse engraved R.A.E.St.A.S.F., born 3rd April 1887
Honourable Bertram Marmaduke Osbert Savile Foljambe (1891-1955), married Joyce Edmunson, grandfather to the present Earl of Liverpool - a beryl and rose cut diamond fleur-de-lys, reverse engraved B.M.O.S.F, born 6th January 1891
Lady Rosamond Sylvia Diana Mary Foljambe (1893-12 April 1974), married Archibald Leslie-Melville, 13th Earl of Leven - a moonstone heart beneath a ruby, sapphire and diamond fleur-de-lys, reverse engraved R.S.D.M.F., born 30th January 1893.
The eleventh child, the Honourable Victor Alexander Cecil Savile Foljambe (1895-1975), has no locket on this necklace
In heraldry, cadency is any systematic way to distinguish arms displayed by descendants of the holder of a coat of arms when those family members have not been granted arms in their own right. Historically, arms were only heritable by males, and therefore cadency marks had no relevance to daughters. As the 1 st Earl of Liverpool had two sons by his first wife, Louisa Howard, Gerald Foljambe, bears the charge of the mullet, symbolic of the third son, Brevet Major Honourable Josceline Foljambe, that of the swift symbolic of the fourth son. The daughters cadency is unusually also marked with the same charges above the hearts.
Condition Report:
All stones present and correct. Two of the lockets have slightly different coloured glass frames to the reverse. Chain slightly discoloured at front
Overall in good condition with some surface wear, nicks and scratches
Condition Report Disclaimer