The Mayoral chains of Office were made by a celebrated manufacturing company ‘Buller Hutchinson’. The initial chain consisted of twenty links, which was of 22 Caret Gold. The gold for the chain being supplied by way of gold sovereigns from Backhouse’s Bank, High Row, Darlington. (Now Barclay’s Bank). The chain was paid for by public subscription and presented to the Borough by Mr Edmund Backhouse (Member of Parliament for Darlington) on behalf of the subscribers on 5th June 1873.
Each link of the chain was an English Rose, connected by double ‘D’s either side. (Darlington & Durham). The Roses were later referred to as Tudor Roses, however this was perhaps due to personal interpretation, but not as originally intended. When the chain was supplied it was the wish of the subscribers that each succeeding Mayor would add another ‘Rose’ and double D links, until such time that there was to be twelve chains worn around the neck of the Mayor. The practice of adding links to the chains is believed to have stopped in the early 1900’s as the double chain, was proving to be coming to heavy to be worn with any comfort. Each ‘Rose’ had a locket on the rear for the purpose of adding the details of the Mayor and date of Office.
However the adding of Roses and links each year must be questioned for the following reason:
The original twenty-link chain has obviously been altered as the chain now has two special roses, which denote Queen Victoria’s Golden Jubilee (1887) and her Diamond Jubilee (1897). The Golden Jubilee Rose was probably added in 1905 as it does not appear in any Mayoral photograph before this time, as for the Diamond Jubilee Rose, this could have been added about the same time. The two ‘roses’ that were replaced were no doubt added to the second chain, which came into use in 1882 (nine years after the introduction of the mayoral chains). This is borne out by one of the ‘Roses’ on the second chain having inscribed on the back ‘Edward Kipling 1869’ who was Mayor in that year.
As this second chain contained twenty-eight ‘roses’ and appropriate links, it would seem to indicate that the ‘roses’ were purchased in advance and that the incumbent Mayor paid for a ‘rose’ at the end of his year. Fifteen of the roses on this chain had a locket attached to the rear and some contained the name of the Mayor who paid for that ‘Rose’.
On one of the links attached to the twenty-link chain is inscribed the words in red letters ‘Royal Show’. Although the Royal Agricultural Show has visited Darlington on two occasions, the above wording was added to denote the visit of 1895. Mr Arthur Pease, MP offered his estate at Hummersknott for the visit, which was accepted. On the second visit in 1920 the event was held at Hundens, Darlington and was attended by King George VI.
The only other addition to be added to the chains is a commemorative link in the form of an exact copy of one of the wheels of Locomotion No.1, which is used to connect the chains together; which was commissioned by Councillor Dorothy Claire Long as a gift to the Borough to commemorate her year in Office as Mayor, the millennium and the anniversary of the Stockton and Darlington Railway. (175yrs)
Attached to the chain in Red enamel and mounted Ruby glass on gold is a replica of St. Cuthbert’s Cross. From this is suspended a gold Badge bearing the current Coat of Arms of the Borough; which is enamelled in full heraldic Colour; on the rear of the Badge are the words Thomas Fattorini Ltd. (Regent Street Works, Birmingham). The Cross and Badge can be worn separately suspended on a Blue Ribbon on less important occasions or when damage could be sustained to the chain. The previous coats of Arms are currently mounted on Perspex and kept in the Mayor’s Parlour.
The two special Roses can be described as thus:
The Golden Jubilee Rose is a gold flat ring, 1 inch in diameter (2.6cm) with a small open rose with foliage and also a small-unopened rose surmounted on the face (shaped like a small pepper pot). There is a locket on the rear, which cannot be opened due to two bars affixed thereto for the purpose of linking the two chains together. Adjacent to the ‘Rose’ one of the ‘D’ links has the word ‘Jubilee’ in red letters.
The Diamond Jubilee Rose is a gold flat ring mounted with an open ‘Rose’ in relief on the face in the centre, this ‘Rose’ is adjoined by three small roses in relief. Between these roses are the words inscribed in gold on blue enamel ’60 years glorious reign.