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tline3open  Silver Badge query - Date & Maker?

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Author Topic:   Silver Badge query - Date & Maker?
kinverroy

Posts: 26
Registered: Apr 2005

iconnumber posted 04-26-2005 05:08 AM     Click Here to See the Profile for kinverroy     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
I have a silver military type bagde with anchor, cannon, gun and sword. It weighs 10gms. I beleive it belonged to my grandfather who served in the Army in Afghanistan and South Africa at end of 19c and beginning of 20c.

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kinverroy

Posts: 26
Registered: Apr 2005

iconnumber posted 04-26-2005 07:37 AM     Click Here to See the Profile for kinverroy     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
Apologies - just registered and still a bit to learn.

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tmockait

Posts: 963
Registered: Jul 2004

iconnumber posted 04-26-2005 07:43 AM     Click Here to See the Profile for tmockait     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
Without a photo none of us can be sure, but as an historian of the British army, I can suggest that what you have may be a campaign medal for either the Boer War (1898-1902) or one of the many campaigns on the old Northwest Frontier of British India (where we are currently hunting for Bin Laden!), although I wonder about the absence of writing. Is it attached to a ribbon? If not, it may be a regimental cap badge.

Regimental dress was unique to each unit. The National Army Museum in London has a large collection of period uniforms and memorabilia. Check their web page. Also, try the Imperial War Museum. British regiments, even those who have been disbanded, also have museums and "old boys clubs." The National museums can tell you which town held the Northumberland regimental depot (HQ), and you can write to them or visit. Contacting them may help you with the id; the museums might also be willing to help.

Do post the picture for us though!

Tom

PS The marks sound like those for Birmingham sterling with the "K" being a date letter. We would have to see the style of the letter and shape of the crest in which it is set to know which date though.

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kinverroy

Posts: 26
Registered: Apr 2005

iconnumber posted 04-26-2005 08:40 AM     Click Here to See the Profile for kinverroy     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
Thanks for the reply


Have tried to post a photo. It is not a medal as there is a safety pin attachment on the back. I have my grandfather's medals with ribbons from South Africa and Hazar, Afghanistan. I will try to photograph marks.
Roy

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tmockait

Posts: 963
Registered: Jul 2004

iconnumber posted 04-26-2005 10:42 AM     Click Here to See the Profile for tmockait     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
I have good and bad news. The Northumberlands do have a museum with a webpage The Fusiliers Museum . It contains pictures of objects including badges. The one in your photo is not the regiment's insignia, so I suspect your Grandfather picked it up from some one, perhaps as a souvenir. The fusiliers were an infantry regiment, and this might be a Royal Navy insignia.

The date letter is hard to read in your photo, but it could be 1859 or 1909. I suspect the former, which is a capital letter. Although this would be a bit earlier than your grandfather's service, it might have been passed on to him.

Good luck,
Tom

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kinverroy

Posts: 26
Registered: Apr 2005

iconnumber posted 04-26-2005 10:53 AM     Click Here to See the Profile for kinverroy     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
Tom,

Thank you. I've been to the Northumberland Fusiliers Museum at Alnwick Castle, Northumberland and like you thought that this badge/pin had more Naval/Marine than Army connotations. One of my father's brothers was a Marine.

I expect that if I can find out when S & W Ld were manufacturing it may give a better clue to the date. Maybe someone else using the forum may be able to assist in that area?


Thanks again
Roy


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tmockait

Posts: 963
Registered: Jul 2004

iconnumber posted 04-26-2005 12:11 PM     Click Here to See the Profile for tmockait     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
Ok, now this inquiry will drive me crazy until I know the answer, so let us know when you solve the puzzle!

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Patrick Vyvyan

Posts: 640
Registered: May 2003

iconnumber posted 04-26-2005 02:22 PM     Click Here to See the Profile for Patrick Vyvyan     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
I would definitely explore the naval angle - the absence of a crown, which one might expect for Royal Navy and Royal Marines might suggest it is a badge representing a particular specialization.
Two possible connections might be:
    The Royal Navy Gunnery School , and
    The Royal Marines Artillery

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Patrick Vyvyan

Posts: 640
Registered: May 2003

iconnumber posted 04-26-2005 04:04 PM     Click Here to See the Profile for Patrick Vyvyan     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
I'm getting there slowly. Your badge has something to do with the Army of the Frontier" - apparently a US society devoted to recreating 19th military enactments...

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tmockait

Posts: 963
Registered: Jul 2004

iconnumber posted 04-26-2005 06:26 PM     Click Here to See the Profile for tmockait     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
Patrick,

I don't think so as the hallmarks are definitely British as is the background of the original owner. This is probably an item for a dress uniform, since most uniform insignia would be of baser, cheaper metal.

I with agree with the naval insignia idea, although the absence of any slogan or inscription is puzzling. I am still betting it is a cap badge.

Tom

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PhilO

Posts: 166
Registered: Jul 2004

iconnumber posted 04-27-2005 02:25 AM     Click Here to See the Profile for PhilO     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
The date letter is actually for 1934 (no duty mark, so it can't be 1859, Tom). I'm sure I've seen this badge before; it's going to bug me until somebody identifies it!

Phil

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tmockait

Posts: 963
Registered: Jul 2004

iconnumber posted 04-27-2005 08:42 AM     Click Here to See the Profile for tmockait     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
Phil,

You are so right. I double checked and realized I was consulting a chart that ended with the 1920s! This new info pretty much confirms that badge could not have been part of the Fusiliers turn of the century kit. Yes, this one is driving me crazy as well.

Tom

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Patrick Vyvyan

Posts: 640
Registered: May 2003

iconnumber posted 04-27-2005 03:48 PM     Click Here to See the Profile for Patrick Vyvyan     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
Tom,

You may well be right, certainly it doesn't appear to fit with the career of the original owner, and undoubtedly it was made in England.

However at this point all I can say is that the design is EQUAL to the centre of the Grand Army of the Frontier medal as pictured on their web site. And described in words as follows: "The central Seal has the words GRAND ARMY OF THE FRONTIER surrounding a cannon behind an anchor behind a crossed rifle and sword".

Either it's an incredible coincidence, or the society dates back to the 1930s, or they have reused an existing army badge.

I've sent off an e-mail to the society, so if they get back to me I will certainly post their answer.

Patrick

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tmockait

Posts: 963
Registered: Jul 2004

iconnumber posted 04-27-2005 04:15 PM     Click Here to See the Profile for tmockait     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
Patrick,

I suspect the latter since this design may be a common motif. The absence of a slogan as on the badge you describe is the odd thing, so too is it being made of silver, which is not common for ordinary insignia. Anyway, I look forward to learning what reply you get. I will also try to check with the National Army Museum in London and see if they have any ideas. The challenging ones are fun to research!

Tom

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Patrick Vyvyan

Posts: 640
Registered: May 2003

iconnumber posted 04-27-2005 04:16 PM     Click Here to See the Profile for Patrick Vyvyan     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
Very fast and efficient indeed: Captain David Barrett got right back to me:
    "The GAF was founded 1 January 2003 to unite renactors and Cowboy Action Shooters who had an affinity for and an interest in the Victorian era
    military of any nation. Looking at the badge, it could be some kind of military fraternal emblem. That design was around from the American Civil War and our membership badge is a copy of it. Sorry to disappoint you..."
So the search continues!

Another possibility that occurred to me and which can be dismissed is the Army and Navy Club in London.

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tmockait

Posts: 963
Registered: Jul 2004

iconnumber posted 04-27-2005 08:34 PM     Click Here to See the Profile for tmockait     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
Patrick,

Your instincts are still good. I think this is a common naval motif, and it is more likely that the American badge is the copy of an English one than the other way around. I have sent an e-mail to the National Army Museum in Chelsea and am optimistic we will solve this interesting puzzel.

Tom

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Kimo

Posts: 1652
Registered: Mar 2003

iconnumber posted 05-02-2005 02:53 PM     Click Here to See the Profile for Kimo     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
It is a fascinating question and I have no answer at this point. One thing I do note is that the design seems to span the four main divisions of the old British military services - the fouled anchor for the Navy, the rifle for the Infantry, the cannon for the Artillery and the sabre for the Cavalry. These were pretty typical divisions in the militaries around the world in Victorian times which seems to be the inspiration of this badge.

The only new thought I can contribute at this time is that is could be a sweetheart pin. Sweetheart pins are typically done in sterling and sometimes gold. They were purchased at jewelry stores or army post exchanges by men in the military to give to their mothers, wives, girlfriends or daughters to wear. Some of the nicer ones were made by fancy jewelers, but the majority were made by the ordinary manufacturers of regular jewelry.

It is possible that it could be from a particular unit, but I don't think that makes a lot of sense given that it has the 4 different branches of service on it and no unit number or motto or such that are typically found on unit badges.

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tmockait

Posts: 963
Registered: Jul 2004

iconnumber posted 05-02-2005 11:03 PM     Click Here to See the Profile for tmockait     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
Actually, wooden frigates carried companies of marines who fired muskets from the fighting tops in the rigging. The crews manned cannon and used sabres for boarding enemy vessels, so I think this may be pure Navy. The rub is that I have been over several insignia dealers' pages and found no Royal Navy badge that correspond to this. It may be a stylized civilian version worn for the same reason that Victorian parents dressed their kids in sailor suits. I am still waiting to hear from the National Army Museum.

Tom

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kinverroy

Posts: 26
Registered: Apr 2005

iconnumber posted 05-03-2005 06:14 PM     Click Here to See the Profile for kinverroy     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
Not sure whether this is red herring but I know that my grandfather worked at a jewelers called Reid & Son, Newcastle on Tyne and I have a set of 12 silver spoons and sugar tongs presented to him on his retirement in 1934. They are variously marked with a Crown, Lion and either q or r and manufacturers name either T B & S or P B & S.

The 1934 date advised for the badge and the spoons ties in with his retirement year.

Just to throw another pebble in the pond I know that he was a Commissionaire i.e. Corps of Commissionaires - did they recruit from all branches of the services?

Roy

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tmockait

Posts: 963
Registered: Jul 2004

iconnumber posted 05-03-2005 10:43 PM     Click Here to See the Profile for tmockait     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
What do you mean by corps of commissioners?

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kinverroy

Posts: 26
Registered: Apr 2005

iconnumber posted 05-04-2005 03:42 AM     Click Here to See the Profile for kinverroy     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
Commissionaires not Commissioners. They were and are still an organisation now calling themselves a security business i.e. uniformed doormen etc going back many years. They have their own website. From what I remember of the old style Commissionaires they invariably looked like old soldiers.

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tmockait

Posts: 963
Registered: Jul 2004

iconnumber posted 05-05-2005 09:54 AM     Click Here to See the Profile for tmockait     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
I think the badge may in fact be a retirement medal or insignia for the Corps of Commisionaires itself. A bit of research indicated that they were uniformed and recruited from all branches of the service (whoever noted the combined arms of the insignia, may be right). In fact they initially provided jobs for disabled Veterans! They also issued a "long service medal". I have not been able to find a piture of it, but the Candian version did have an anchor in it.

Tom

[This message has been edited by tmockait (edited 05-05-2005).]

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kinverroy

Posts: 26
Registered: Apr 2005

iconnumber posted 05-14-2005 10:03 AM     Click Here to See the Profile for kinverroy     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
I think that I am now pretty sure that this badge is probably a long service award from The Corps of Commissionaires.

Despite much scouring of the Internet and medal dealers I still haven't seen another picture of one but my verbal description to some of these dealers has resulted in the Commissionaires response.

Not sure that this topic can go any further but thank you sincerely for all of your thoughts and help. They made interesting reading.

Roy Chapman

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kinverroy

Posts: 26
Registered: Apr 2005

iconnumber posted 05-20-2005 03:39 PM     Click Here to See the Profile for kinverroy     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
Have now seen the same badge and confirm that it is the Long Service Award for Corps of Commissionaires.
Thanks again Forum

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tmockait

Posts: 963
Registered: Jul 2004

iconnumber posted 05-20-2005 04:50 PM     Click Here to See the Profile for tmockait     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
Your question was fun to research and discuss!

Tom

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