Glenbuchat Heritage

83 John Forbes (Bombay Jock) mourning Ring

‘Bombay Jock’ Mourning Ring

The above composite photo shows all sides of a mourning ring created to commemorate the death of John Forbes (Bombay Jock) who died in London in 1821

John Forbes set up Forbes and Co in Bombay and became one of the richest trading houses in India. He died childless and his fortune was inherited by his nephew Charles Forbes who became the 1st Baronet of Newe

Click for more details about ‘Bombay Jock’

Click for more details about ‘Bombay Jock’ Aberdeen Memorial

Mourning Rings
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopaedia

A mourning ring is a finger ring worn in memory of someone who has died. It often bears the name and date of death of the person, and possibly an image of them, or a motto. They were usually paid for by the person commemorated, or their heirs, and often specified, along with the list of intended recipients, in wills. Stones mounted on the rings were usually black, and where it could be afforded jet was the preferred option. Otherwise, cheaper black materials such as black enamel or vulcanite were used. White enamel was used on occasion particularly where the deceased was a child It also saw some use when the person being mourned had not married. In some cases, a lock of hair of the deceased person would be incorporated into the ring. The use of hair in mourning rings was not as widespread as it might have been due to concerns that the hair of the deceased would be substituted with other hair

The use of mourning rings dates back to at least the 14th century, although it is only in the 17th century that they clearly separated from more general Memento mori rings By the mid-18th century jewellers had started to advertise the speed with which such rings could be made. The style largely settled upon was a single small stone with details of the decedent recorded in enamel on the hoop. In the latter half of the 19th century the style shifted towards mass produced rings featuring a photograph mounted on the bezel before the use of mourning rings largely ceased towards the end of the century.

Details of Death of John Forbes

In the afternoon of that day the deceased was better than he had been for some days but about nine o clock in the morning as he was coming out of the water closet, he was suddenly struck with death and expired within an hour Under these circumstances is there the least reason to presume that there was an abandonment of this paper and not a continuance of intention which was only prevented by the act of God

John Forbes' funeral procession form “The Donean Tourist”

John Forbes died at London in 1821 leaving a fortune of nearly two plums. His nephews brought down the body in great pomp to the family sepulchre at Strathdon. On their arrival at Aberdeen, the Magistrates and gentlemen followed the Hearse in funeral procession, from the Town Hall to the confines of the city. The cavalcade moved off at twelve o clock noon and the attendance was spontaneous consisting of the most distinguished citizens, the Clergy, the Principals and Professors of King's and Marischal Colleges, the Managers of the Infirmary and the Lunatic Asylum to whom the defunct had made great largesse’s, and were joined by the seven Incorporated Trades and walked in the following order

Three Town Sergeants with reversed halberts well mounted in crape,
The Incorporated Trades four a breast each preceded by their proper officers and the youngest incorporation in front,
The Burgesses of Guild of Old and New Aberdeen, with many of the gentlemen and inhabitants from both cities and neighbourhood,
The Managers of the Lunatic Asylum and Infirmary,
The Principals and Professors of both Colleges in their gowns, each preceded by their Sacrist bearing his mace.
The hearse containing the Body and drawn by four horses.
The nephews and relatives of the defunct, followed in a coach drawn by four horses and three other carriages.

In this order they moved at a slow pace, followed by a great concourse of spectators, to the further extremity of the city beyond. Union Place, when the company that walked four a breast halted, and made open order, lining the sides of the road, the Hearse then advanced while the mourners that followed were uncovered, and after receiving the like compliment from the gentlemen composing the procession as they passed, the relatives entered their carriages and proceeded on their way to the place of sepulchre

On the contour of Strathdon an assemblage of the tenantry were waiting to receive the remains of their beloved honoured and distinguished landlord. They divided into two lines on the road and after the hearse and carriages passed, fell in and moved in procession to the charnel house in the church of Strathdon. At three of the clock pm, the coffin was lowered and the earth closed over the exanimate body of one of whom it may be truly said, that his heart knew no guile.
“A man he was to all his country dear, and passing rich”

He was denominated honest John. Over his tomb is a beautiful bachelor's hatchment or escutcheon on the wall within a border company or and argent azure three bears heads, couped argent, bridled and muzzled gules with buckles or parted by a crescent or Crest over a helmet composed o,r and argent a dexter hand nudus armed with a Highland broad sword vendways of the second hiked and pommelled of the first. On a label over this is “Non temere I do nothing rashly” from “Ab id evenit non temere nee sine causa” Cicero. And under the escutcheon “Non sine causa” Nor without cause
Proprietor 1826 John Forbes Esq

Gift to Aberdeen Lunatic Assylum
In 1819, in consequence of a great deficiency of accommodation having been experienced, and especially the impossibility of properly classifying the patients, either according to the varieties of their disorder, or their station in life, a piece of ground, adjoining to the asylum, was purchased and an additional building erected on it at an expense of L 13 135, which the managers were enabled to defray by the munificent bequest of L 10,000 from the late John Forbes of New. In this building about 70 additional patients can be accommodated and the general attention which had in the interval been paid to the construction and arrangement of lunatic asylums enabled the managers to avail themselves of many improvements by which the comfort and restoration of the patients might be promoted