Mess and squadron silver

[henry crun]

Since the Duncan Sandys fiasco of 1957 there have been heavens knows how many stations closed and squadrons disbanded.

Many, particularly the older ones, had beautiful examples of the silver craftsmans art. Not just the candelabras and the ashtrays etc, but aircraft exquisitely fashioned in true detail.

These items were paid for out of mess members funds, by squadron members, or presented by people who wanted their relatives to be remembered.

What has happened to this silverware which by now must be a fair sized amount?
Is it all locked away in some depository never to be seen again ?.
Is any of it on view anywhere, and if not why not ?.

[BEagle]

Isn't most of it at Quedgeley? (Sp??)

Some was auctioned off a while ago; frequently it can't be put on display even at those few aerodromes still open with messes - the insurance costs would be too high.

Once had the job of 'silver member' at a fighter base in Suffolk. The property book was an absolute shambles and bore little resemblance to the silver we had. There were models of aircraft the sqn had never flown, mysterious items of silver obviously shared out from former bases or 'acquired' from rival units. Some was in a dreadful state, some had never even been recorded in the book..........

[Fay Deck]

A lot of Sqn silver is in storage at either Cosford or Stafford (can't remember which).

Original post edited because I didn't read Beagles post properly.

Fay.

[ 14 August 2001: Message edited by: Fay Deck ]

[Rude C'man]

The last place of storage I knew of , was Stafford. I went to grab some trophies fpr sport. there are hundreds of old pieces some very good some not so , all waiting to be bagged and lovingly housed in either a mess or club/Sqn. ;)

[Perky Penguin]

Slightly off the thread but I often wonder what happened to the original David Shepherd paintings which used to be in the mess at RAF Eastleigh. I recall that the RAF gave him his start in wildlife painting by flying him around Kenya and I suppose that he gave the mess some of his first paintings. Where are they now?

[henry crun]

I hadn't thought of the insurance aspect.
It seems a pity that so much of it will never see the light of day again.
Maybe it is time to return those donated items to the families that gave them, and auction off a lot of the items that are of lesser significance.
The proceeds could be used to improve the amenities at those surviving stations and squadrons

[ 15 August 2001: Message edited by: henry crun ]

[SirPeterHardingsLovechild]

Perky Penguin

84th Airborne Cavalry out in Akrotiri have a David Shepherd original, I think its of a Beverley.

Hoot & Roar

[Cabe LeCutter]

I think that you will find that 84 Sqn has 2 DS paintings, both of them Beverlys. Unless they have returned them to Bev, one is in the Mess and the other on the Sqn.
Hoot and Roar indeed.
Head down, look out for the flack

:D