The eighteen inches long carved-ivory baton has a hallmarked silver band round the middle inscribed:

PRESENTED TO W C Stockley Esqr BY THE MEMBERS OF THE BIRMINGHAM FESTIVAL CHORAL SOCIETY DECEMBER 27th 1869

The base of the baton is of ornate hallmarked silver with a matching silver tip. The BFCS logo of a lyre is engraved on the base of the baton. Birmingham Assay Office confirmed that the silver was hallmarked there and the Date Letter (U) confirmed that it was hallmarked in 1869. The Makers Initials were 'JC' and probably belonged to James Collins of Frederick Street, Birmingham. Dr Gabriella MacKinnon, Exhibition Development Curator (Natural Science) of Birmingham Museum & Art Gallery, agreed to examine the Baton. She had no doubt that the baton was made of elephant ivory and sent an official letter confirming this fact.

William Stockley does not mention the baton in his Will but somehow it came into the possession of Mrs Brazier who also lived in Calthorpe Road. She decided to give away specific items of her silver to certain people rather than have people squabbling over the collection after her death. She gave the baton to Mr Short who retired from the Gas Board in Birmingham in 1955 and moved, with his family, to Cornwall.

His son, Noel, inherited the baton and didn't take much notice of it apart from cleaning it. He finally became fed up with cleaning his collection of silver and decided to have some items auctioned. GA Estate Agents in his area had an expert visiting local branches to give free valuations on items brought to him by local people. Noel took the baton and was told that it was probably worth £100.00 to the right people but the engraving might reduce its value to other people. He asked if it was made of ivory but was told that it was carved from bone otherwise its value would be greater. Dr. Gabriela Mackinnon of Birmingham Museum and Art Gallery later confirmed that the baton is made of elephant ivory.

The Baton re-appears in Birmingham
When Noel, a Country & Western fan, booked tickets for a Don Williams concert at Symphony Hall in Birmingham he phoned the Convention Centre Bureau to arrange accommodation and asked if BFCS still existed. When he received confirmation of his booking he was given the phone number of Tim Davis (BFCS Hon. Treasurer). Noel phoned asking if BFCS was interested in buying the Baton for £100.00. At the next BFCS Committee Meeting it was unanimously agreed that the baton should be purchased and Tim arranged for the baton to be delivered to him when Noel and his wife came to the concert.

The Baton and Birmingham Conservatoire.
BFCS does not have anywhere suitable to display the baton but Professor George Caird, Principal of Birmingham Conservatoire, was considering displaying in the Conservatoire items of historical musical interest. Further investigation brought to light the fact that William Stockley had also been the first Principal (Honorary) of the Birmingham School of Music (which ultimately became Birmingham Conservatoire) and so this seemed an appropriate location. After further discussions with Professor Caird the baton is now loaned on display to the Conservatoire in a cabinet, supplied by BFCS, made of 19th Century Cuban Mahogany.

There was a short ceremony in the upstairs foyer of Birmingham Conservatoire on Friday 30th June 2000 to inaugurate the display of the baton. Prof. Caird stated 'Our connection with Birmingham Festival Choral Society has been a long one and we are happy to be in partnership in this respect.'

Gordon C Allen BFCS Archivist and Historian 11 Apr 2001