Bournemouth Echo

A carton of false teeth helped Geoffrey Russell launch his antiques empire, but that is one of the many tales

It began with a carton of teeth. They were being sold at an auction and Geoffrey Russell, not long discharged from the Army on medical grounds, had a bargain.
Injured in Italy in a motorcycle accident, he had returned from the war and decided to open an antique shop with his sister. The trouble was that Geoffrey only had £150 he had managed to save from his serviceman's pay and his sister much the same. But that auction was to launch Geoffrey into a profession that would see him become one of the best-known antiques dealers in Bournemouth.....

14th June 2005

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Duelling Code 1750-1810

This is an article edited and compiled by Peter from notes by Geoffrey Russell

William the Conqueror introduced judicial duelling (or trial by battle) in 1066. However it's popularity peaked in the 18th century.

Most of the stately homes of that period had in their possession a pair of flintlock or percussion pistols usually in a superb mahogany case, made by the most popular & skilled gun makers of that period and included firms such as Durs Egg, Griffin & Tow, Joseph Manton and Robert Wogton.

Percussion duelling pistols

This inheritance was handed down from father to son in the event that if one the family was involved in a case of honour and the pride of the family’s character was impinged.

Pair of flintlock duelling pistols by W. Ketland, Birmingham, circa 1786
on sale for £475.00 forty years ago.

A duel could be considered necessary to restore the honour and satisfaction to the injured party. The challenged party, could not refuse without losing their reputation. Usually the duel had to be fought at about 6a.m. in a remote country setting. Each participant had the right to appoint a friend as a second to confirm that a fair duel was performed. His service also was to try to make peace with the injured party, and try to avoid the challenge ending in death. If however in spite of the second’s efforts to avoid the duel and the contest could not be avoided the man challenged had no choice but to turn up for the duel and the contest would proceed.

Both of the contestants could choose a second, also a doctor who would be invited to attend to any wounds.

The challenger would only throw out a challenge to his social equal. He would never offer a member of the ‘lower classes’ - instead a good horse whipping would suffice!

At 6.am at the appointed location for the duel, both contestants would arrive with their seconds. The seconds were usually a military officer and would take charge of the arrangements. He would examine the pistols carefully to make sure that the barrels were not riffled and then make sure that both the contestants desired to pursue the contest. If he was then satisfied that was the duel would have to proceed, the duellist would stand back to back, pistols primed in their right hands, walk seven paces forwards and turn and fire. The contestants would had been warned by their seconds to turn their bodies ‘to the side’ so as to make the target smaller, as a well filled belly was a vulnerable target. It was a point of honour that if they were hit they should not cry out, or complain, but go to their Maker with courage and dignity. If the wound was not fatal, the doctor would attend to the wounded. On some occasions however, both of the contestants would purposely aim above their target and then in relief afterwards, they would then make to the nearest Tavern, to celebrate their survival and in relief became friends forever.

Duelling was banned in 1810.