Club Silver

​In 2019, the Club's Committee acquired an original "Founder's Badge" dated 1864, from antique dealer Lee Burgess, of RB Antiques in Bedale, Yorkshire. The badge - hand engraved and enamelled in translucent blue and opaque white vitreous enamel - was discovered in the estate of the Earl of Yarborough - Frederick Gordon Dalziel Colman - of the Colman’s mustard family dynasty.

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It is thought that 21 badges were created for the Club's Founders, although it is not known who the maker is because the piece is unsigned. Large in size for a lapel badge, at 1 inch diameter (circa 26 mm), it is fabricated in high-copper content jewellers metal, which is appropriate for guilloché enamel pieces such as this. Nor does it bear silver hallmarks that would help in identifying its place and date of manufacture. An article about the badge acquired by the Club appeared in April 2019 in The Scotsman, and can be read here.

 

The badge was found attached to a piece of stiff card with the name “JWR Bennett” written on it. This is almost certainly Sir James Risdon Bennett (b. 29 September 1809 – d. 24 December 1891), a highly distinguished physician and pioneer in cancer medicine who graduated from Edinburgh University in 1833. He was first listed as a Member of the Club in the Minutes of the Annual Meeting of 1872. ​ 

 

In autumn 1833, Bennett accompanied Lord Beverley to Rome, and spent two or three summers in his company and that of Lord Aberdeen. On his return to England in 1837, he became physician to the Aldersgate Street dispensary, and lectured on medicine at the Charing Cross Hospital medical school.

 

In 1843, Bennett was appointed assistant physician to St. Thomas' Hospital. On the foundation of the City of London Hospital for Diseases of the Chest in 1848 he was appointed physician. From 1843 to its dissolution in 1867 he acted as secretary to the Sydenham Society. He was made a Fellow of the Royal College of Physicians in 1846. In 1850, he was President of the Medical Society of London. In 1875, he was elected Fellow of the Royal Society.​

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A Second Lapel Badge has been found!

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Tim Gadoffre, the Club's Publicity Officer, is currently researching these badges. In October 2025, he discovered a comparable badge that is held in the Science Museum Collection in London. You can see the online museum entry by clicking on the link here.

 

This is the second known example of the Club "Founder's Badge". It belonged to Dr. Edward Law and was donated to the Museum by his widow Ellen Law in 1937. ​Research is currently underway to find entries relating to Dr. Edward Law's role with the Club, in the Club's Archive and Minute Book. 

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There may be other Club Lapel Badges that come to light in the coming years... Keep your eyes peeled!