Gunner Argent's cat o' nine tails
Cat o' nine tails issued by the Royal Navy belonging to Edwin Argent who served as a gunner on the Protector.
Edwin Argent sailed to Australia with Protector in 1884 as a gunner-master and continued to serve aboard the ship in South Australia. He served as Chief Gunner on Protector during the Boxer Uprising in China after a brief period back in England where he re-qualified in gunnery duties. Following Federation, Argent served in Sydney and returned to South Australia in 1914 as Lieutenant. The whip is part of a collection of objects owned by Argent bequested to the Museum which also include a dress sword, navigational instruments and texts, and a diary he kept during the ship's voyage to China in 1900.
Creator: Royal Navy
Associated locations: China, Port Adelaide, South Australia