Trophy shield

item details

NameTrophy shield

ProductionFrank Hyams; designer; 1905; United Kingdom

Classificationtrophies, shields

Materialsmetal, wood, pounamu

Materials Summarysilver, pounamu and wood shield

DimensionsOverall: 5mm (width), 102mm (height), 85mm (length)

Registration NumberGH001964/2

Credit lineGift of External Affairs Dept., 1953

Overview

On 5 May 1905, Wellington's Evening Post newspaper proclaimed 'the importance of straight shooting in modern naval warfare is self-evident'. The newspaper was supporting a campaign for public contributions for gunnery trophies to be competed for by the gun crews of HMS New Zealand.

HMS New Zealand
HMS New Zealand, a King Edward VII class battleship launched in 1905, was the first British warship to bear the name 'New Zealand'. The second was a battlecruiser launched in 1911, which became famous as New Zealand's 'gift ship' to Britain's Royal Navy. To free up the name for the 'gift ship', the first HMS New Zealand was renamed HMS Zealandia in 1911.

Trophy shield
Funds for this magnificent trophy shield were raised through contributions from New Zealand schoolchildren. By January 1905 the 'children's pence fund' had raised about £430 from children in 700 schools.

The money was used to buy the trophy shield (cost £150), a silver-plated and inscribed bell (£60), a book for recording gunnery results (£10), and a silk ensign (£30). The remaining money was invested for cash prizes for the gun crews.

Details
The trophy is made of silver and pounamu (New Zealand greenstone) mounted on an oak shield. Embossed vignettes depict views of New Zealand's main cities: Auckland, Wellington, Christchurch, and Dunedin. The shield in inscribed: 'Presented to HMS New Zealand by the School Children of her Namesake Colony, 1905'.