Early 19th Century Leather and Polychrome Decorated Bombard

Early 19th Century Leather and Polychrome Decorated Bombard.

England, Shropshire, circa 1820.

A 'Shropshire' Tavern leather bombard or 'blackjack' commemorating General Hill's service under the Duke of Wellington at the Battle of Waterloo. Retaining the original painted decoration of the coat of arms of Hill (blazoned as Ermine, on a fesse sable a castle triple towered argent), the family motto 'Avancez', lion and unicorn supporters and the verse 'All you that bring tobacco here must pay for pipes as well as beer'. The underside with a collection label, inventory numbers and kiln or tower.

Provenance: Upper Slaughter Manor.

This bombard was almost certainly made for use in a Shropshire inn. General Rowland Hill was born in Shropshire in 1772, the second son of Sir John Hill, Baronet Hill. Rowland joined the army, 38th Foot regiment as a commissioned officer in 1790 and the following year was promoted to Lieutenant and then transferred to the 53rd Foot, followed by Captaincy of his own company. By 1800 he was a Colonel and commanded the 90th Foot in the Battle of Aboukir Bay, Egypt, where he defeated the French. He was ranked Major-General in 1805. He also served with distinction at Waterloo. He became a Tory MP and was awarded the rank of Commander-in-Chief of the British Army in 1828.

The inscription is from a popular poem displayed in inns in the early 19th century:
All you that bring tobacco here
Must pay for pipes as well as beer;
And you that stand before the fire,
I pray sit down by good desire;
That other folks as well as you,
May see the fire and feel it too.
Since man to man is so unjust,
I cannot tell what man to trust;
My liquor's good, 'tis no man's sorrow,
Pay to-day, I'll trust tomorrow.

Bombards, or blackjacks, are leather drinking vessels for ale or water. They were a common item, but the more important the owner or prestigious the venue in which they were used, the more highly decorated they were. They were made by stitching together wet leather and slowly dried to make a watertight vessel.

The alternative name of blackjack may have originated from 'jack', a type of jerkin worn by soldiers. Many were coated with pitch or tar to create a watertight seal, leading to the term 'blackjack'. The term 'bombard' probably originated from the shape of a gun of the same name, examples of which were found on the Mary Rose. Such vessels were light, hardwearing and made no noise.

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