BRONZE STATUE PRESENTED TO MAJOR GORDON FROM THE FRENCH BRANCH OF THE FRANCO-SCOTTISH SOCIETY IN 1907

The statue was given by the French Branch of the Franco-Scottish Society to Major Gordon as appreciation for his involvement as an Honorary Secretary in the Scottish branch of the Franco-Scottish Society from 1896 until he left Scotland in 1906 to take up his position as Private Secretary to the Duke of Wellington. 

On 30 October 1906, the article 'The Secretary of the Franco-Scottish Society' was published in The Scotsman newspaper. The article celebrates Archibald Alexander Gordon for resigning as Secretary of the Society. Provost Sir Robert Cranston addressed Gordon in the celebration and Hon. Treasurer Mr J.W.D. Kirkland praised his effort from the foundation in 1895 onwards. He mentions that Gordon was the chief organiser of the anniversary meetings in Paris (1896), Edinburgh (1897), Grenoble (1903) and Aberdeen (1906). Further on, he mentioned that the French government awarded Gordon the Legion D'honneur for his success and devotion. In the end, Professor Kirkpatrick consented to Kirkland's words and the proceedings were terminated thanks to the Lord Provost by Mr James Macdonald.

AN 17TH CENTURY "Jack in the Cellar" CONTINENTAL SILVER PREGNANCY CUP. Presented to Major Gordon by members of the Franco-Scottish Society. 

The cup was given on 21 December 1903 to Major Gordon from the Franco-Scottish society and was made in 1660. Klingerborch or Klingerborgh made the cup in the Dutch town of Venlo (South Holland, near the German border). Klingerborch was a Dutch silversmith who first appeared in the Sint-Lucasgilde of the village in 1654. The city mark, the Lionhead ancre and Klingerborch initials (HK) with the royal crown on top can be found on the cup together with the date 1660. The cup is decorated with leaves, and the stem has the typical tripod ornament. The base has a waveguide shape and consists of twee levels.

The cup was bought from Messrs Thomas Smith & Sons, founded in 1851, and he assumed his son as a partner two years later.

A “Jack in the Cellar” tazza (original Dutch name: Hansje in den Kelder) is a drinking bowl that originated in the North Netherlands in the 17th century and was a prestigious gift among the rich to celebrate and announce a pregnancy. Inside the bowl, an orb is found on top lit. A figure of a (mostly naked) child named Hansje is hidden inside. When the host pore liquor in the bowl, the small figure
appears on top of the orb (symbolising birth). In Flanders the cup was called “Maeiken in ‘t schapraeiken” of “’t kindeken (kinneken) in ‘t spinneken.” In England, it became known as “Jack in the Cellar” and in Germany “Hansel im Keller”. When a German mother was pregnant with a girl, the toast “Gretchens in der Küche” (Gretchen in the kitchen) was given. All these translations refer to a cellar (Mother’s lap) and need to be translated as “Baby in the stomach”. Today the Dutch expression
“Hansje in de Kelder” is immortalised in a Dutch liquor of A. V. Wees.

MAJOR GORDON'S WEDDING SILVER CANTEEN SET BY GOLDSMITHS & SILVERSMITH'S COMPANY

This canteen was presumably given to Major Gordon as a wedding gift in 1892. William Gibson and John Lawrence Longman, who worked for Goldsmiths and Silversmiths Co., made the silver set dated 1890. The contents are listed on the sheet as follows: 12 Tablespoons, 24 desert forks, 12 dessert spoons, one gravy spoon, one soup ladle, two sauce ladles, 12 teaspoons, six egg spoons, four salt spoons, one mustard spoon, one sugar spoon, one pair of sugar tongs, one butter knife and one sugar sifter

PRESENTED SILVER TEA SET WITH PRESENTED SALVER GIVEN TO MAJOR GORDON'S FATHER ON 1 JANUARY 1865. 

The tea set was presented to William (Eagleson) Gordon MD ( must not be confused with Major Gordon's brother W.E. Gordon), their father from his friends, for his new professional appointment in Scotland. William Gordon MD had lived his childhood in Strabane, Ireland and travelled back and forward to Scotland until he settled in Bridge of Allan in 1856. 

The set was made in Sheffield in 1855 by Samuel Roberts & Joseph Slater. The company was established in 1845 and renamed Roberts & Briggs after Slater retired in 1858.

CONTINENTAL CIGARETTE BOX PRESENTED TO MAJOR GORDON BT COUNTESS BATHURST (In memory of her father Lord Glennesk) Aug. 1913

Lilias Margaret Frances, Countess Bathurst, gifted Major Gordon the following colonial silver cigarette box in 1913. Major Gordon had written her father, Lord Glennesk, on October 5, 1903, a letter (now in the Leeds University archive) from Carlside, Earlston, Berwickshire, in which he explained he was with Lord Reay and discussed all matters of the Franco-Scottish Society. They both felt that the Duke of Fife was the perfect candidate to take over the society's presidency. Alexander Duff, 1st Duke of Fife, was the husband of Princess Louise of Wales (eldest daughter of Edward VII). Major Gordon expressed that he and Lord Reay would be delighted if something could be done for the following visit of the French Branch at Aberdeen in September 1906. They were both sure that if the matter were presented to His Grace, he would inform the King and that His Lordship both knew the Duke of Fife and the King so well that they were sure he would present the wishes of the society to them.

It is believed the box was given for Major Gordon's involvement in saving the Waterloo Battlefield in Belgium.

SILVER SCOTTISH DIRK (Sgean Dhu) FROM MAJOR GORDON INITIALED A(rchibald) and M(Aude) AND PRESENTED ON MAJOR GORDON's BIRTHDAY IN 1929.

The Scottish dirk (Sgean Dhu) is inscribed A-M 3-9-1929. It is believed it was gifted to Major Gordon on his birthday after his wife Maude had died two months earlier. Major Gordon kept the dirk in his safe at Jessamine, Bridge of Allan. 

COLONEL RONALD EAGLESON GORDON'S PERSONAL SIGHT ARM INLAID WITH A SILVER OVAL ON THE STOCK BEARING HIS INITIALS.

This wooden boxed Webley-Wilkinson model revolver was presented to or bought by Colonel Ronald Eagleson Gordon and is inlaid with a silver disk bearing his initials. 

The box still has it's original Wilkinson Pall Mall tag inside.

BADGE OF THE ST. JOHN AMBULANCE ASSOCIATION (Returned to the family by the Major A. A. Gordon) in 2021

Ronald E. Gordon was promoted to the rank of Major between the years 1920 and 1930. During this time, he became an associate of the St.John Ambulance Association, bought the badge and had it engraved on the back. It's believed he donated the badge

to a friend whose family probably sold it to a dealer later on.

The badge was found on eBay in 2021 and quickly purchased by our society. Later the decision was made to return it to the family of Ronald E. Gordon.