Overall: 100cm (39.5in) x 87cm (34.2in)
Photographic quarter length portrait of George V in naval uniform by court photographers W & D Downey, Ebury Streert, London. Signed in the lower mount in ink 'George RI’. Contained in its original lacquered and glazed frame applied silver presentation plaque inscribed: ‘This portrait / was presented to the Board of Directors of / Messrs Hadfields Limited / HM King George V / in commemoration of his Visit to East Hecla commemorate the royal visit to East Hecla Works, September 29th 1915’. Print size 57.5cm (22.6in) x 45cm (17.7in).
Hadfields Limited of Hecla and East Hecla was one of five Sheffield armaments companies that were called upon in the early months of the First World War to supply most of the shells and projectiles the nation required. It was a challenge beyond their capability, leading to the mobilisation of the entire nations’ industrial resources in a hitherto unknown manner. Hadfields were famous for their manganese alloys discovered by the founder's son, Sir Robert Abbott Hadfield (1858–1940). Pre-war VIP visitors to Hadfields works included Admiral Togo in 1911 and in June 1914 the chairman of their German rival, Gustav Krupp von Bohlen und Halback, who with his entourage stayed with Sir Robert Hadfield at Parkhead House. Just eight days after the departure of Krupp from Sheffield, Archduke Franz Ferdinand was shot in Sarajevo, leading to the 37 days of international manoeuvring which resulted in the British declaration of war against Germany on August 4. By 1915 Hadfields was one of the National Projectile Factories (NPF) under the control of the Ministry of Munitions. By the time the war ended Hadfields had a workforce of over 15,000 and was Sheffield’s largest employer.