An early 20th century Edwardian armorial ceramic match striker in Cambridge blue and representing the arms of St John’s College, Cambridge.
 
English, circa 1910
 
Dimensions

Height: 6.5cm / 2½"
Width: 8cm / 3¼"
Depth: 8cm / 3¼"
Diameter (of opening): 4cm / 1½"

The full name of St John’s is: The College of St John the Evangelist in the University of Cambridge. St John’s College was founded by the Tudor matriarch Lady Margaret Beaufort in 1511. The college arms bears the arms of its foundress Lady Margaret Beaufort, Countess of Richmond & Derby, who was the mother of King Henry VII - the first Tudor monarch. The arms are displayed proudly on the impressive crenellated gatehouse as you enter the college. The arms are flanked by heraldic beasts known as yales. St John’s has twelve courts and is the largest college at Cambridge. During the English Civil War the First Court was used as a prison in 1643. The Second Court was built between 1598 and 1602 and has been described as “the finest Tudor court in England”. The iconic Bridge of Sighs connects Third Court to New Court. The impressive Neo-Gothic stone bridge was once described by Queen Victoria as “so pretty and picturesque”. The 16th century dining hall has a fine hammer beam roof, painted in black and gold and decorated with armorial bearings of its benefactors. The famous St John’s choir has sung the daily service in the college chapel since the 1670s. The college has a reputation of hosting a large and lavish May Ball which first took place in 1888. With a proud sporting history the college enjoys notable success in most of the major sports on offer at Cambridge. The Oxford and Cambridge Boat Race tradition began with a St John’s student called Charles Merivale who challenged Charles Wordsworth (nephew of the poet William Wordsworth) of Christ Church College, Oxford, to a rowing race on the Cam. Lady Margaret Boat Club (LMBC) was founded in 1825 and is the oldest at Cambridge. The first Boat Race took place on the 10th June 1829 at Henley.