[[image]]

Inkwell, The Honourable James Skead

This brass inkwell belonged to the Honourable James Skead, one of Canada’s first senators. 

Born in England to parents of Scottish descent, Mr. Skead came to Canada in 1832, where he became a successful businessman and a prominent figure in Ottawa society. He was an executive for railway, manufacturing, river improvement and ship canal companies, and served on local organizations dedicated to trade, agriculture and the arts. 

Mr. Skead was called to the Senate by proclamation in 1867, after Confederation. In 1882, his lungs were seriously damaged after he was thrown from a moving carriage. He died from those injuries two years later. 

The inkwell, featuring a sculpture of a bull, was donated to the Upper Chamber by one of the senator’s descendants. It’s believed Mr. Skead used it on his desk in the Senate. The inkpot’s lid is engraved with a crest and the Latin phrase Virtutis regia merces, which means “A palace the reward of bravery.” The motto is connected to the Skene Clan of Scotland.

[[artitemobjectdetails]]