Leather Covered Handheld Telescope

Fantastic handheld telescope featuring a leather case and a leather-covered, nickel-plated brass body with three draw sections and a sliding eyepiece cover. Has a 1⅝ inch objective lens and an extendable sunshade to reduce glare. Maker is the renowned Ross of London circa 1910. Engraved with the original owner’s details: H. Lane. King's Bromley Manor, Lichfield.

The Lane family’s claim to fame is that after the Battle of Worcester, in 1651, Charles II escaped to Bentley, the residence of Colonel John Lane. From there he made his way to the South Coast dressed as the servant of Colonel Lane’s sister, Jane, who had a military pass to visit Bristol. 

Charles kept in contact with Jane and three letters written to her from his exile in France are still in existence. On his restoration, Charles gave her a pension and granted the Lane family the right to have the royal three lions displayed on their coat of arms; the only family without Royal blood to be bestowed this honour. The Lanes of King's Bromley are directly descended from Colonel John Lane of Bentley.

The last resident at King's Bromley Manor was John Henry Hervey Vincent Lane (b.1867), known as Harry. He died in 1917, and portraits gifted to the family by King Charles II, along with letters and other memorabilia, were sold off when the hall was demolished in 1927.