Baron of Beef Dish
When George IV was crowned in 1821 a huge party was held for the children of Kingston in the Market Place. The event was organised by Charles Nicholas Pallmer, a benefactor and wealthy Kingston landowner.
As part of the celebrations a baron of roast beef was served to 700 children on a massive pewter dish which the Museum has recently purchased. Engraved on the plate is the following inscription:
On the day of the coronation of King George the fourth 19 July 1821 a baron of beef w[eighing] 200lbs was served upon the dish, as part of an entertainment given to 700 children in Kingston Market Place
The dish measures 90 cms x 60cms. It was made by the King's own pewter maker, Thomas Alderson of London, who came from a family of pewter makers. Many other fine pieces of pewter work by Alderson survive with the Pewterers' Company in London. The inscription is the only surviving record of Kingston's coronation celebrations as the council minutes have not survived for this period, nor did we have a local newspaper to describe the event.
It is not known what happpened to the dish in the intervening years or why it left Kingston. However the Museum is delighted that it has been rediscoverd and purchased from a dealer in 1998. Funds were raised from the National Arts Collections Fund, the V&A Purchase Grant Fund and from generous local residents.