50 - A PAINTED SILK RACING PENNANT FROM THE EARL OF MALMESBURY'S CUTTER YACHT MEDINA R.Y.S., CIRCA 1815

A PAINTED SILK RACING PENNANT FROM THE EARL OF MALMESBURY'S CUTTER YACHT MEDINA R.Y.S., CIRCA 1815 constructed in two stitched panels of scarlet silk painted with a Baron's coronet in gold and white, canvas hoist with toggle loops -- 45 x 88in. (114.5 x 223.5cm.) Despite being widely acknowledged as one of the founding fathers of the Royal Yacht Squadron [or Royal Yacht Club as it was originally titled] in 1815, James Edward Harris, Viscount FitzHarris, later 2 nd Earl of Malmesbury, seems to have been more interested in the kudos of simply belonging to it rather than racing his own yacht in open competition. Whilst this may seem curious, the simple reason was that he employed his personal boat as his ‘official yacht’ in his capacity as Governor of the Isle of Wight, with the result that Medina was a common sight at virtually all the early functions of the Club. James’s father, also James, was a distinguished diplomat and politician who was created 1 st Earl of Malmesbury in 1800, with his heir assuming the title of Viscount FitzHarris. A prominent landowner with a large estate of 5,000 acres near Basingstoke, the younger James was made Vice-Admiral of Hampshire [an historic maritime role involving the defence and administration of and jurisdiction over the coastal waters of the county, including the Isle of Wight] in 1807 as well as assuming the office of Governor of the Isle of Wight the same year. In this latter capacity, it was only logical that he would support the formation of the new yacht club in 1815 and his Medina was added to the Club’s books as soon as they opened. Sadly, there is little definitive information about her, to the extent that published sources even disagree about her rig and tonnage, but she definitely disappeared from the Club’s books in 1818 for reasons unknown although there is an amusing story of serious damage from internal flooding due to an overflowing WC to suggest that this may have been the cause. Whether Medina was built and maintained by Viscount FitzHarris at his expense or the nation’s is unclear but, either way, this silk pennant is a remarkable survival from the Royal Yacht Squadron’s earliest days. painted area with two large vertical splits and a horizontal one along lower edge, no losses to date, silk field in good condition.Will require backing and conservation.