Wednesday, January 10, 2007

Historical badge

I`ve really got into turning my cupboards and drawers out since the start of the new year, and oh what a lot of junk I`ve been hoarding! So, whilst I`m in the ruthless mood I tackled another cupboard yesterday, and in doing so came across something which I`d not seen before (or if so it was so long ago that I don`t remember seeing it) and my parent couldn`t remember it either.

I`ve very intreguied to know whether it`s rare, or unusual or even of any value. I took a photo of one of them, and it`s pasted here - can anyone shed any light on the history of them, or suggest where I look to find out?



There are two of them, both the same, they are obviously embroidery packs to do badges. One still has the embroidery silks with it and they both have the pattern transfer sheets. There`s a price of them of 7d. including Purchase Tax.
On the transfer sheet it has: "Designed by the Royal School of Needlework and approved by H.M.War Office"

I`d love to know more about these items. I assume they belonged to my Dad, but don`t know any more than that.

3 comments:

Dave said...

The War Ofice was amalgamated with other military branches to create the Ministry of Defence in 1971, so it pre-dates that. The pre-decimal coinage confirms that, decimalisation also being 1971, by coincidence.

Other than that, I don't know.

Cherrypie said...

I was born in 1971 so I'm not much help

Ivy said...

I`m surmising that it goes back at least to the 2nd. World War, because that was when my Dad was in the Army.

But I`d like to know exactly when and why did they produce embroidery kits of badges - did the soldiers have to make their own badges?