Victorian Bloomsbury Rifles Drill Trophy 1877.

A scarce piece of Rifle Volunteer history. It is a nice quality silver plated tankard engraved to the front “37th Middlesex RV – No 2 Company – Presented By – Capt Sayer to Sergt Williams – As a Momento of the success of the Right Half Battalion – At the Drill Competition 1877.
The St Giles's and St George's Bloomsbury Rifles was officially formed on 31st March 1860 at the District Board of Works office in Holborn and was numbered as the 37th Middlesex Rifle Volunteer Corps. The Bloomsbury Rifles had four companies in 1861, and its strength rose to eight companies by 1866. The unit adopted a uniform of Rifle green with green facings. In 1880 the Bloomsbury Rifles were retitled as the 19th (St Giles and St George's Bloomsbury) Middlesex RVC and the following year it became the 6th Volunteer Battalion of the Rifle Brigade.
In 1890 past members of the regiment formed the Bloomsbury Rifles Freemason Lodge, No 2362, I believe, which was in Holborn, London.
Tankard was made by James Dickson & Sons and comes in very good condition with wear to the plate. It measures 5 inches high.

Code: 30984