Lord Desborough's Thames Conservancy cap. Lord Desborough was an accomplished amateur punter and also chairman of the Thames Conservancy from 1904 - 1937. A mile long cut in the River Thames near Weybridge bears his name.
The Thames Conservancy was given control of the river from the source to Yauntlet Creek in 1866. In 1909 the the Port of London Authority was created to manage the tidal river.
A faceted stone mace head mounted as a gavel on a pynkado wood handle with a pynkado block and in a presentation box. Originally thought to date to 2000BC, but now known to be approximately 3500 BC (mid to late Neolithic). The gavel (and block) was used by the Chairman of the Thames Conservancy at meetings.