What: Glass tumbler from the emperor’s palace
Where: King’s Own Royal Regiment Museum, Market Square, Lancaster, LA1 1HT
The museum entry reads: “Glass tumbler from King Theodore’s Palace at Magdala.”
Accession Number: KO1411/01
What: Horn beaker from Magdala
Where: King’s Own Royal Regiment Museum, Market Square, Lancaster, LA1 1HT
The museum entry reads: “Horn beaker brought from Magdala by Lieutenant C M Davidson, 1868.”
Accession Number: KO
What: An Ethiopian soldier’s leather wallet with bullets
Where: King’s Own Royal Regiment Museum, Market Square, Lancaster, LA1 1HT
The museum entry reads: “Leather wallet containing bullets taken from one of the Abyssinian soldiers.”
Accession Number: KO0229/05
What: A scroll described as “a parchment strip of St. Mark’s Gospel”
Where: King’s Own Royal Regiment Museum, Market Square, Lancaster, LA1 1HT
The catalogue entry has several pictures and describes it as “a Coptic parchment strip of St. Mark’s Gospel”.
Accession Number: KO0327/01a-a-i
What: An illustrated Ethiopian manuscript described as a “Bible”, more likely a collection of saints lives and miracles
Where: King’s Own Royal Regiment Museum, Market Square, Lancaster, LA1 1HT
The Regiment Museum website publishes several pictures including one of a page with this English hand-written message: “Presented to the Revd. Fisher Turner by ? Stokes Esq 1/4 King’s Own Royal Regiment. In token of the esteem and friendship he had for his son Frederic Cooper Turner Esq, 1/4 King’s Own Royal Regiment. Senafe, Abyssinia, 26 May 1868.”
Frederic Cooper Turner’s medals are in the museum’s collection. Prior to joining the army he served as a midshipman in the Indian Navy 1858-1863. Present at the assault at Fort Beyt and with the Naval Brigade in the Okamunder Field Force at the Capture of Dwarka in 1859, and in the China Campaign and Capture of Taku forts, 1860. Ensign 8 Aug 1865 with 1st Foot. Transferred to King’s Own on 22 Aug 1865, served in Abyssinia. Lieutenant 1870. Adjutant 1876-8. Captain 1878. Promoted Major 1883 to Northamptonshire Regiment, later Lieutenant Colonel. Died 26 Jan 1921. KOLIB0066
Accession Number: KOLIB0066-
What: An illuminated manuscript page
Where: King’s Own Royal Regiment Museum, Market Square, Lancaster, LA1 1HT
The catalogue entry has a picture and reads: “Brought back from Abyssinia by General Sir E R P Woodgate.”
Accession Number: KO LIB 136/2.