John Tetlow, surgeon – a tale unfolds

A rather special and intriguing Georgian mourning ring, dated 1789. The tapering high carat gold shank supports a magenta guilloché enamel plaque, surmounted by a gold urn enamelled in royal blue and white. The plaque is within a white enamel border, inscribed in Latin : MEA IAM PERACTA EST GAUDETTE MECUM AMICI PROBATIO : ‘My day is now complete (i.e. my life is over).  Friends, rejoice with me in testimony.’
The word probati (proof or test) suggests the deceased’s life served as a testimony or a trial that was successfully endured, implying a virtuous life and a peaceful departure. The inscription encourages friends to acknowledge and celebrate this proof rather than simply lamenting his loss.
The ring is also inscribed to reverse in Latin. It says that the surgeon died in his 34th (trigesimo quarto) year, so he was very young. After that the word “amicus” which means male friend. It does not mean “to” or “from” a male friend. Possibly it means that the surgeon was a friend to somebody? Was that somebody Mr. John Pownall Dale? And lastly, “pupilli ejus” meaning “from his student.” Historic records show that John Tetlow and John Dale were both surgeons practising in Liverpool in 1789. In 1789 an Act of Parliament required all slave ships to carry a licensed surgeon. Both Tetlow and Dale were likely to have been amongst the many practitioners whose careers were intertwined with maritime commerce, including slavery, which dominated Liverpool’s economy at the time.

The ring is size O and 1/2 [US 7 and 1/4] and can be sized. The head of the ring measures 1 and 1/8 inches by 3/4 of an inch. One of the finest quality urn rings I have seen and in its original Moroccan leather case.

Thank you Professor G. for your help with the correct Latin translation and your research, once again.

sold   £5500
Item ref : 8904