An extremely rare Rackets Racquetfor the Brasenose trophy dated 1853
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An extremely rare Rackets Racquet for the Brasenose trophy dated 1853 by Jeffries and Malings of Woolwich, with an ash head and walnut throat, strung with natural gut which was restrung around forty years ago, the sheepskin grip was covered in blue silk which is now distressed, the braided butt cap is made of Silver, the small silver shield fixed to the racquet is engraved with Davey's name as the winner but was misspelt as there was not enough space for the whole of his name on the silver shield hence it appears as 'Davy' not 'Davey'
William Horton Davey: according to the Brasenose College, Oxford Register (1909) William Horton Davey was born in Redruth, Cornwall, first son of Stephen Davey of Redruth Cornwall. He is mentioned in Burke's Landed Gentry as well as Foster's Our Noble and Gentle Families. He was educated at Harrow Scholl and matriculated to Brasenose College on the 25th May 1853 aged 17. He was awarded his B.A. in 1871 and became a Justice of the Peace and died on 13th April 1871.
It is very unusual for there to be a spelling mistake in the engraving of the recipients name but in the small silver shield on the 1853 presentation racket is spelled Davy, however, this mistake was rectified on the gold 1854 racket.
The first Oxford v. Cambridge varsity match was in 1858 so the rackets predate this competition and could well be the first silver and gold presentation rackets won at Brasenose.