Object Literature
This chest was purchased from the same village in Lincolnshire as the Swaby’s and that vendor had originally purchased it directly from the family. Ann Swaby (born Baldock) was born in 1747 and married Thomas Swaby who was born in 1748, in Marshchapel Louth, Lincolnshire. They had one son, also named Thomas Swaby. Ann passed away in 1824, at age 77 as read on the verses.
The pair of verses are gilt scripted onto vellum and are headed ‘Verses – composed on the occasion of the death of Thomas Swaby’ and ‘Verses on the death of Ann Swaby’ respectively. They each then have prose ‘The Dying Christian Farewell’ and ‘The Dying Mother’s Address’.
Trunks date back to pre-medieval times and were made in a large variety of shapes and sizes and from many different materials. Candle boxes within them have been in use since the same period. We have never seen a chest with memorium verses applied to the interior before.
A very good quality chest, with a touching, if ever so slightly macabre, secret.