‘Star of India’ shines at Lotabeg in Cork

The contents of Lotabeg in Cork go on view from 10am this morning. Visitors entering the house will immediately notice a gilt-framed parchment issued in 1935 by King George V to honour the work of "our trusty and well-beloved Vincent Hart Esq, Indian Service of Engineers". Hart had left his home by the Lee more than 30 years previously and gone out to India to serve the British Empire.

His service in the city of Madras (today Chennai) – most notably overseeing the construction of the Mettur Dam, the biggest in the British Empire – had earned him the gratitude of the King who was also self-declared Emperor of India during the era of British colonial rule. George V made Vincent Hart a Companion of the Star of India or more formally, a Companion of the Most Exalted Order of the Star of India.

More than 80 years later, Hart's Order of India award is among the lots going under the hammer in Mealy's auction of the contents of Lotabeg.

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George V made Vincent Hart a Companion of the Star of India or more formally, a Companion of the Most Exalted Order of the Star of India

The Order of India was established by Queen Victoria in 1861 and was used to honour "conspicuous merit and loyalty" in the service of the British Raj as the colonial era in the Indian subcontinent was known. The head of the order was the British sovereign and the grand master was, ex officio the Viceroy of India, an office last held by the late Lord Mountbatten. Membership of the order was granted to very senior officials (those who had served 30 years or more) and to some Indian maharajahs (princes).

There were three grades: Knight Grand Commander (GCSI); Knight Commander (KCSI); and Companion (CSI). Members were entitled to wear elaborately prescribed ceremonial dress and regalia on special occasions.

As a Companion of the Order of India, Hart received a neck badge in gold and enamel, with a central cameo of a youthful Queen Victoria, bearing the motto of the Order (“Heaven’s Light Our Guide”). Still in its original box, it will go under the hammer along with the letter from George V and Hart’s personal copy of the Statutes of the Order as a single lot in the auction with an estimate of €1,200-€1,800.

There’s nobody alive today who can add the letters CSI after their name. The abbreviation stands for Companion of the Star of India.

The letters appeared after Vincent Hart's name when his very brief death notice was published in The Irish Times in 1939. Hart was one of, if not the last, Irishmen to be awarded the Star of India. No awards have been made since 1947 when India gained Independence and, like the Order of St Patrick which was created for Ireland, the Order of the Star of India is now dormant. All its members have died.

The last Grand Master, Earl Mountbatten of Burma was murdered by the IRA in 1979 in Co Sligo; the last GCSI died in 1991 in India; the last KCSI died in 1999 in India; and the last CSI died in 2009 in London.

Hart’s Star of India is among the more than 700 lots on view at Lotabeg for the next three days. Anyone planning to attend is reminded that vehicular access to the house – on the Lower Glanmire Rd – is restricted and attendees must go to the nearby Clayton Silver Springs Hotel to park. A shuttle bus will operate to and from Lotabeg. Entry is by catalogue only (€20 for two adults) – which are on sale in the hotel.

The auction itself, on Tuesday, May 24th, will take place in the hotel – and not in the house. For further details and information about telephone and online bidding and to view the catalogue, see mealys.ie