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Auction: 16003 - Orders, Decorations, Campaign Medals and Militaria
Lot: 33

(x) The G.C.M.G. Collar Chain Attributed To Sir J.H. Drummond Hay, The United Kingdom's Envoy Extraordinary at the Court of Morocco For More Than Forty Years
The Most Distinguished Order of St. Michael and St. George, Knight Grand Cross (G.C.M.G.) Collar Chain, comprising 24 medallions made up out of six English lions, eight Maltese crosses, four SM cyphers, four SG cyphers, and two pairs of winged lions, one pair surmounted by a crown, 1080mm, silver-gilt and enamel, with screw-ring suspension from crown medallion to support Badge Appendant, enamel damage to seven of the Maltese Crosses, otherwise good very fine, in Garrard, London, case of issue, this with the lid detached, the base with label stating 'G.C.M.G. Collar of Order. late Right Honable. Sir John Hay Drummond Hay.' in black ink

Sir John Hay Drummond Hay, G.C.M.G., K.C.B. (1816-1893), was born at Valenciennies, France, the son of Major Edward Drummond Hay, himself a nephew of the Earl of Kinnoul. Educated at Charterhouse, he initially served in Tangiers, 1832, where his father was serving as Consul-General. Hay was initially appointed a Paid Attaché at the Embassy of Constantinople, a post he held for four years. His second appointment was to Morocco, to assist the British Agent and Consul-General. Such was the distinction of his service in his first few months, that although still obtaining his former rank, he succeeded his Chief to be appointed British Agent and Consul General to the dominions of the Emperor of Morocco, March 1845. This post was held (with varied nomenclature) continuously through 1886. Hay was created Knight Commander of the Order of the Bath in May 1862, also receiving the Knight Grand Cross of the Order of the Dannebrog. He was appointed G.C.M.G. in December 1884, the reason for award is itself referenced in The Order of St. Michael and St. George, Peter Galloway, p.87:
'The Order was sometimes conferred less as a recognition of services rendered than as a public sign of confidence in a diplomat unjustly attacked. In the spring of 1884 several foreign diplomats in Morocco, among them Sir Drummond Hay, the British minister, were criticised in the French newspaper Gaulois, of corrupt practices. Hay in particular was accused of obstructing British enterprise and commerce, and encouraging the Sultan of Morocco in his policy of resistance to all reform and improvement in his domain. Hay was summoned to an interview with Earl Granville, the Foreign Secretary, and took the opportunity to complain that he had been overlooked for promotion and left in Morocco (for more than forty years) on the ground that his services there were too useful for him to be moved- a claim which might have been true, but which was scant consolation. The charges against Hay were proved false, but the matter was raised to the House of Lords in November 1884, where Granville defended Hay. 'I am glad to be able to add that I believe there is no man in the diplomatic service more honourable or more energetic in the discharge of his duties...I remember instances where persons employed in the diplomatic service have been, to use a homely phrase, kicked upstairs to get them out of a place where they were doing mischief instead of good. I believe it to be exactly the contrary in the case of Sir John Drummond Hay. He is most fit for the post he has held, and for that reason he has lost some chances of personal preferment...I have great pleasure in adding that a short time ago the Queen granted him the Grand Cross of St. Michael and St. George.'
Hay retired, July 1886, with his retirement spent between Ravenrock, a private house near Tangiers and the family seat of Wedderburn Castle, Berwickshire. He died of influenza at Wedderburn Castle, November 1893.

The Order of St. Michael and St. George does not have a separate Collar Badge, but utilises the sash Badge for this purpose.

PROVENANCE: Morton & Eden, November 2012.

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Sold for
£2,800