Ebony walking stick presented to Sir George Houstoun Reid by Lloyd George on 27 March 1917

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Type: Walking-sticks
Date: 1897
Place: Birmingham, West Midlands, England; London, England
Materials: Silver, Wood
Collection: Anne Fairbairn collection no. 4
Accession number: 1992.0082.0002

Description

A black ebony walking stick with a curved handle and a silver tip at both ends. There is a silver collar below the handle that has the inscription 'G.H.R. / IN APPRECIATION / 23.7.17 / D. LLOYD GEORGE'. The collar and the handle tip are hallmarked [Birmingham 1897].

In 1916, Australian politician Sir George Reid took his seat as the Member for St George's Hanover Square in the United Kingdom's House of Commons. Reid came to Westminster having served in both the New South Wales and Commonwealth parliaments, including terms as premier and prime minister. He had played a critical role in the federation of the Australian colonies, and had been Australia's first high commissioner in London. As well - known for his girth as for his compelling speeches, Reid relied on a walking stick to get around. In July 1917, British prime minister David Lloyd George gave Reid this walking stick displayed in acknowledgement of the support Reid offered his government during the Great War.

Read live from the Museum's Collection API (12/11/2026, 4:58:27 am). Record last updated by the Museum 2025-02-23. Licence: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/.