Miniature commemorative sword believed to have belonged to Lord Raglan, 1818 (c)

This sword has a wooden blade, with gold hilt, scabbard and suspension loop. It is engraved on both sides of the hilt with 'June 18th 1815' and on the scabbard 'Waterloo'.

The blade is said to have been cut from an elm tree that stood near the crossroads of the Brussels and Ohain roads from which Wellington directed the Battle of Waterloo. Contemporary accounts state that the tree, which stood in a cornfield, was cut into pieces to provide keepsakes after it was felled by its owner. John George Children, a librarian in the Department of Antiquities at the British Museum and later assistant keeper in its Natural History Department, happened to be visiting the battlefield on 27 September 1818 and bought its wood from the farmer.

Children had Thomas Chippendale the Younger produce a chair using the timber, which he had delivered to the Prince Regent in 1821 - this is still in the Royal Collection. He presented another chair to the Duke of Wellington and presented wood from the tree to the Duke of Rutland, who also turned it into a chair- both chairs are still in the family collections of their descendants. The chairs are referred to in an article published in 1836 in 'The Gentleman's Magazine'. Children also had a mineral cabinet, a work-table, a small stand for a bust of Wellington, a small table cabinet and a writing table made from the wood.

Purchase supported by the National Lottery through the Heritage Lottery Fund