Lord Clyde (1864)

Scale: 1:48. A plan showing the stern carve work for the head of Lord Clyde (1864), a wooden broadside ironclad frigate. The ship was named after Field Marshal Colin Campbell, first Baron Clyde, who had died in 1863. The bow carve work is DIC0099.

The carved work on the stern is an amalgamation of different iconography. It depicts two Black Watch sentries standing either side of a central coat of arms, both holding muskets with fixed bayonets in their outer hands. The sentries are standing on a ribbon that has the motto ‘Be Mindful’ in the centre, below the coat of arms. The coat of arms depicts a crown above a field marshal’s baton. A large crown with further coronet above sits on top of the coat of arms. A chained bird (swan?) stands on top of the coronet.

The iconography is confusing, as they do not all specifically relate to Colin Campbell, but to different aspects of Clan Campbell. The motto relates to the Calder clan, where the clan chief was the Campbell family (Earls of Argyll). The Black Watch (42nd Highland Regiment of Foot) was originally recruited from highlanders including Clan Campbell. They also fought in India at the siege of Lucknow in 1857 while Colin Campbell was in command of all British forces in India. The coat of arms is currently unidentified.

Object Details

ID: DIC0107
Type: Technical drawing
Display location: Not on display
Date made: 24 October 1864
Credit: National Maritime Museum, Greenwich, London
Measurements: Overall: 251 mm x 398 mm