The Civic Mayor's badge and chain of office

The chain is of 18 carat gold, hall-marked, and weighs, with the badge, nearly forty-two ounces. The massiveness of the chain, however, has not affected the elegance and beauty which should mark a specimen of the goldsmith's art. Mr. Alfred Smith of High Street was commissioned to execute this task and it was made by T.J. Bragg of Birmingham.

Image

The style of the chain is that of later Italian which became known in England as 'Elizabethan'. Every link of the chain is solid, the intervening links forming the monogram 'C.C' representing the Corporation of Croydon. These are connected with a larger link, having finely carved scrolls and wrought mouldings and bearing shields on the obverse and reverse, arranged so that they may be removed and enamelled with the arms, crests, or monograms of successive mayors. The chain is some 50 inches long, and supplied with shoulder attachments so that the chain may rest at the back of the coat or robe. The centre link, of somewhat larger size but similar character, is supported by two cleverly wrought civic maces, and bears on the front shield, in enamel, the crest - a palm tree, resting on a wreath of the colours, together with the motto, 'Virtus ad aethera tendit' - a suggested translation is 'Virtue reaches to the heavens'. Councillor Shafi Khan in his year of office had a new link added to the back of the chain to mark the Millennium.

On the badge the mace, placed in saltire with them, illustrates municipal authority. The shield, which has above it the English rose, with the arms of the borough. The reverse side of the badge is a locket with 18 carat gold pages with past Mayors' names.