East India Company Officer's sword, Sir John Hearsey, 1850 (c)

The sword has a 1796 pattern Cavalry trooper's blade and an 1822 pattern Infantry officer's sword hilt. The inscription 'Ballia' on the blade suggests that it may have been made in India as this is not a known sword maker's name.

Sir John Bennet Hearsey (1793-1865) was born in Midnapore on 21 January 1793. He rose through the ranks from Cornet to Lieutenant-General. He fought in campaigns including the 3rd Maratha War (1816-1819) and the 2nd Sikh War (1848-1849). Hearsey was Commandant of the 2nd Local Horse between 1829-1839 and commanded the Dinapore Division at Barrackpore when the Indian Mutiny broke out in 1857.