A pair of Royal Navy Rum flagons, still in their original wooden crate. This crate has been in the owners possession since it was purchased at Christies in 2005.
The front panel has the following marking:
This Side Up
The top panel has the following markings:
O / C 86 Supply Depot
R.A.O.C Dortmund (Royal Army Ordnance Corps)
B.F.P.O 20 (British Forces Post Office)
The left panel has the following markings:
95/626 SFW
There is also a damaged label which warns that this contains a flammable product.
The right panel has the following markings:
No 5 of 5
A label on this panel reads: Old Navy Rum 2 1 gallon flasks in Original Wooden crate 2 x 4.5ltr
Rum has been associated with the Royal Navy since the British fleet captured the island of Jamaica in 1655. The availability of rum led the Navy to swap the daily ration of French brandy with Caribbean rum, which was issued to each sailor at midday. In the 1740s, Admiral Edward Vernon began the practice of diluting the rum with water to minimize the effect of alcohol on the crew, this mixture became known as ‘grog’.
The daily rum ration, or ‘tot’, was served until 31 July 1970, a day now known as ‘Black Tot Day’. In modern times, a tot of rum is issued to naval crew to celebrate special occasions, such as royal weddings.
This Royal Navy Rum Flagon - Pair sold at our online auction for £3,400
