JACKET, TROUSERS & BADGE DOGGETT'S

Red livery with silver sleeve badge. Red, skirted jacket with simple self-colour embroidered decoration at cuffs and shoulder, 12 large buttons down front, two smaller buttons at neck closing and five at each sleeve - but one missing on each. Cone shaped buttons made by "Firmies, London", could be "Fifmifs". Knee breeches in same colour, buttons at knee match jacket, flat buttons around waist and fly-flap stamped: "G.J. KINO / LONDON". White cotton lining. Badge silver on wooden mount, hallmarked: ....................................................... ............. "HENRY ARTHUR / LIBERTY / AUDSLEY" on scroll, // horse with flowing mane and tail // "THE GIFT OF MR THOMAS DOGGET (sic) / LATE FAMOUS COMEDIAN / 1882". The Doggett's livery was brought to WA early in the C20th by Mr Harry Audsley who won it in 1882 in a rowing race on the Thames River. The race was instituted in 1715 by comic actor Thomas Doggett (or Dogget) [c1670 - 1721] tp commemorate the accession of George I, the first monarch of the House of Hanover. The race is rowed annually on the Thames River from London Bridge to Chelsea, a distance of 7.5 km. Watermen who had recently completed their apprenticeship rowed skiffs in competition for a cash prize and an orange coloured livery with a badge representing liberty. The livery, changed from orange to red, is now the only prize. Mr Audsley had a boat building business west of the Barrack Street jetty and was also a fireman at His Majesty's Theatre. He bequeathed the livery to Mr George Rogers, himself a champion oarsman, who in turn bequeathed it to the Museum.

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History Collection

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