Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

A Royal Victorian Medal group of eleven awarded to Ernest Stanley Garrett, 1st Yeoman of the Silver Pantry

Defence Medal; Royal Victorian Medal, G.VI.R., 1st issue, silver; Coronation Medal 1911; Jubilee 1935; Coronation 1937, these unnamed as issued; Royal Household Faithful Service Medal, G.V.R., dated ‘1910-1930’, with 2 clasps, ‘Thirty Years’, ‘Forty Years’ (E. Garratt (sic)) mounted court style as worn; Russia, Medal for Zeal, Nicholas II, small, silver; Portugal, Coronation Medal 1889, Carlos I, bronze; Denmark, King’s Medal of Recompense, Christian X, silver, mounted court style as worn; France, Republic, Medal of Honour, silver; Netherlands, Orange House Order, Medal of Merit, silver, these unnamed, third, seventh and eighth medals with edge bruising and contact marks, fine; others very fine and better (lot) £800-1000

R.V.M. London Gazette 1 January 1943, 1st Yeoman of the Silver Pantry, Buckingham Palace.

Ernest Stanley Garrett (note ‘Garratt’ on medal) was born in Bradfield, Berkshire on 28 June 1886, the second son of five children of Charles and Sarah Garrett. He entered Royal Service at Buckingham Palace on 9 December 1907 as assistant in the Silver Pantry. On 1 August 1908 he was promoted to Under Butler and, on 1 December 1911, to Third Under Butler. By February 1931 he was First Under Butler. On 1 April 1936 he was appointed First Yeoman of the Silver Pantry, his title being altered from 1 October 1946 to Yeoman of the Plate Pantry. Garrett held this position until he retired on 1 January 1952. On 20 January 1949 he married Beatrice Edwards - soon after they moved to a flat at Frognore House Stables, Windsor. After his retirement the couple moved to a retirement home at Queen Gate, King’s Road, Windsor. Ernest Garrett passed away in 1957, aged 71 years.

As Yeoman of the Silver Pantry he was responsible for the safe keeping and care of the valuable collection of State plate and other pieces which were used at the Court and other State functions.

With a letter of thanks on ‘Balmoral Castle’ note paper, dated 21 August 1951, in which Princess Margaret sends her thanks to members of the Royal Household for the present of a tea set and two little tables given on the occasion of her 21st birthday; this personally signed ‘Margaret’, with original envelope addressed to ‘Mr Ernest Garrat (sic); Buckingham Palace Identity Card, named to Ernest S. Garrett as Yeoman of Plate in the Department of Gold and Silver Rooms, this bearing his photograph; a newspaper cutting, ‘King Decorates Bradfield Man’ concerning the award of the R.V.M. to Mr Garrett as ‘Yeoman of the Gold and Silver’; photographs (9) of Garrett and of banquet tables, including one of Garrett in full uniform wearing several of the above medals; booklet re. the King George V issue Long and Faithful Service Medal; Royal Household Social Club Buckingham Palace programme for an event on 19 December 1950, this signed by Sydney and Mary Thompson who were providing the entertainment for that evening; menu cards (9) for Buckingham Palace and Windsor Castle, 1951-55.

Together with a Festival of Britain 1951 ‘Three Towns’ Sports Contest’ Prize Certificate named to ‘Mr E. Garrett’ as a member of the winning Bowls Team representing the town of Windsor; with Royal Household Bowls Club cloth blazer badge; 20 ‘Bowling related’ lapel badges, metal and enamel, including: Royal Household Bowling Club; Barking Borough Bowling Club; Romford Bowls Association; Windsor & Eton Bowling Club; St. Andrews Weston-super-Mare Bowling Club; Clarence Bowling Club Weston-super-Mare; Wiltshire County Bowling Association; Cape Peninsula Bowling Tour 1939; American Lawn Bowling Association Visitors to Great Britain 1948; 1950 Australian Bowlers Tour; Canadian Bowlers Visit to British Isles 1952; South Africa Western Province Women’s Bowling Tour 1952; South African Bowling Tour 1955; American Lawn Bowling Association Visit to the British Isles 1957; with a ‘Home and Country’ lapel badge, enamelled and a H.A.C. silk tie.