Weekend's Finds - Queen's Own Rifles

[QSAMIKE]

Good Afternoon Everyone…..

Went Garage Sale’ing Saturday morning and I am ecstatic with my finds……

At one location I was able to obtain a Military Drum, a Victorian Queens Own Rifles of Canada and a Victorian / Boer War Canadian Helmet Plate…..

I asked the seller, who was in his early 20’s, if he had any knowledge of who it belonged to but he did not it was just in among a number of items that he had been given by his Grandfather, where he had obtained them he had no idea…… I asked but there were no medals of any kind to be found…..

The drum is marked with a makers name: “Whaley Royce & Co. / Limited / Toronto…… This according to what I can find it is a model “B” and has the serial number H330 again what I can find out so far means that it is Drum 330 manufactured in the year “H” which was 1895….. The company imported a line of musical instruments that the sold under the “Imperial” name and so marked so this one was made in Canada….. I understand that up until 1920 they made their own instruments along with importing them….

Now here is where I try to put 2 and 2 together……

I am sure that the Queen’s Own must have had a Band at that time, the turn of the century, and maybe this drum was used by them at that time…. The Owner of the Cap Badge may have been a drummer and been one of the volunteers with the Second Special Service Battalion that was formed for service in South Africa….. When he returned he may have gone back into the band…..

I know that the wooden rings are painted Red / Blue / White / Blue / Red which has been repainted and the ropes have been most likely replaced and have been whitened with webbo. The snare lines underneath are cat gut and the material holding the leather tension straps are also cat gut I do not know when that was last used…..

I am going to leave it the way it is and not even clean the brass……

If there are any experts out there that have any knowledge about military band instruments please let me know your ideas……

What would have been the colours on the wood if the drum had been Q.O.R....

Thanks for looking……

Mike

Edited May 6, 2013 by QSAMIKE

[Mervyn Mitton]

Fortunate finds Mike. Most military snare drums have the identification for the Regt. or, unit. The stringing appears correct and if it is

from the late 19th.C - then it must be fairly rare. Having a local - and historical maker adds to the interest. I agree with you that all

three items were probably form the same man - too much of a co-incidence . You do find some lovely things. Mervyn