Collections Explorer

Maker(s):

Calcutta; mint
East India Company; issuer
George III (1760-1820); ruler; struck in the rule of

Name(s):

Capture of Ceylon Medal; denomination
medals; Series
Military; subseries
Britain; subsubseries
East India Co.; subsubsubseries

Date:

1796

Description:

The island of Ceylon, now Sri Lanka, was first taken over from its inhabitants by the Portuguese in 1505; the Dutch replaced them during the seventeenth century. In a campaign from 1795 to 1796 the British East India Company ousted Dutch rule and took the island over.
This medal was issued by the Company to a force of 120 Indian gunners from the Bengal Artillery who served in the campaign. It is unnamed, and the recipient's identity unknown. Lester Watson bought it from the dealer Gifford in 1927.

Production
Place (legacy):

Calcutta, mint, place

Technique:

struck

Material:

silver

Dimension(s):

weight, 48.32, g
diameter, 50.2, mm

Acquisition:

loan; 2005; Cambridge in America

Inscription(s):

design; obverse; [This Medal was given by way of acknowledgement of services in Ceylon in the year of the Hijra, 1209-1210]; Persian inscription
design; reverse; Inscription

Alternative
Number(s):

Watson Catalogue; 50
ordering; M-0047

Exhibition(s):

Images of Empire: The British Empire on 19th century medals. 2013-04-23 - 2013-09-29
Organiser: The Fitzwilliam Museum

Documentation:

Hayward, John (author, C20th). Birch, Diana. Bishop, Richard. 2006. British Battles and Medals 7th edn.London: Spinkp. 28

British and other Campaign and Gallantry Medals From the Collection of Lester Watson (d. 1959).
Ceylon, East India Co., 1795-6 (1807). (Silver, with suspension and yellow cord.) Unnamed. FDC condition.

Accession:

Object Number: LW.0047
(Coins and Medals)
(record id: 141258; input: 2007-03-27; modified: 2013-04-22)

Permanent
Identifier:

http://data.fitzmuseum.cam.ac.uk/id/object/141258