A pair of early Victorian silver meat platters with an old Sheffield plated meat dish cover

A pair of early Victorian silver meat platters with an old Sheffield plated meat dish cover,

by the Barnards, London 1845, the cover and handle unmarked,

oval form, foliate, scroll and shell border, engraved with the Hornby crest, the meat dish cover of oval form, with a similar border, the handle modelled as the Hornby crest, length of platters 50.5cm, length of cover 40.5cm, approx. weight 145oz. (3)

William Henry Hornby had a distinguished career in both politics and commerce, with his mill in Blackburn employing around 1400 employees. He was Chariman of the Conservative party and Member of Parliament for Blackburn from 1857-1865. During an election riot in 1835, Hornby was thrown over the parapet of old Salford bridge by an infuriated mob, and in 1841 during a similar riot he recalled "... It was then hardly safe for me to walk through the streets; my house was in danger and at last it was attacked, about 8 o'clock in the evening and every window was smashed. Fortunately I got back there before the front door was opened, and having a brace of pistols, I discharged one, and every man of that gallant crew ran away". His sons, Edward Hornby and William, were also MPs for Blackburn, and his third son, Albert, was the England cricket captain who lost the Test match which gave rise to the Ashes, at home against the Australians in 1882.