1916 OWS badge with a difference?

[dumdum]

Hi

I was shown this badge recently and, while the 1916 badge is pretty common, I was intrigued by the "back plate" that goes with it.

IWM has an identical badge, but they don't comment on the "T F S".

"N P F" is easy enough (National Projectile Factory) and the IWM does state this.

Anyone want to guess at T F S?

[Hawthorn]

An interesting and well made badge, thanks for showing us, I note that when the two badges are together the TFS becomes TS, could this denote Templeborough in Sheffield I wonder.

Templeborough was a National Projectile Factory and I suppose the TFS could mean Templeborough Factory Sheffield.

Regards Simon.

[mike_vee]

IWM also has a photo of a "CERTIFICATE OF APPRECIATION, NATIONAL PROJECTILE FACTORY TEMPLEBOROUGH, 1918" which may have replaced the badge.

https://www.iwm.org.uk/collections/i...ect/1030005219

[mike_vee]

Had a closer look at IWM website and Simon was spot on.

"British First World War period women's 'On War Service' badge issued to Miss R Shale whilst working at the National Projectile Factory, Templeborough, Sheffield."

https://www.iwm.org.uk/collections/item/object/30076578

Under LABEL section click on "Show More".


Edit : Just noticed that the 1918 Cerificate was also awarded to Miss R Shale.

[manchesters]

What a beautiful badge (s)

regards

[Frank Kelley]

How strange, if you had simply seen them apart, you would never have conceived that they could have been worn in that manner.

[mike_vee]

The factory was owned by Thomas Firth & Sons, Ltd., they had their own monthly magazine "The Bombshell" and organised various events for their staff including football matches for the women.

The "Certificate of Appreciation" was for "loyal services rendered during the Great War , 1914-1918". So I wonder if the badge was specifically made as a 'thank you' to the female staff as they would probably have lost their jobs when the men returned home from the war.

[Chipper]

Hi, these plates are wonderfully made, and very, very rare. One sold a while back on eBay for a huge price, just can't find my record of it, but it was big.

Thanks fro showing DD

cheers, Tim

[Luke H]

Absolutely fantastic badge and thread! Loved seeing and reading about this little gem.

[mike_vee]

Originally Posted by Chipper

Hi, these plates are wonderfully made, and very, very rare. One sold a while back on eBay for a huge price, just can't find my record of it, but it was big.

One was auctioned by Lockdales in January.

[mike_vee]

Originally Posted by mike_vee

The factory was owned by Thomas Firth & Sons, Ltd., they had their own monthly magazine "The Bombshell" and organised various events for their staff including football matches for the women.

Found a great site with pics from magazine etc.

http://www.picturesheffield.com/index.php

Type "Bombshell" into search box.

[tonyb]

Great badge and very interesting thread.
Tony.

[Charliedog012012]

Originally Posted by mike_vee

Found a great site with pics from magazine etc.

http://www.picturesheffield.com/index.php

Type "Bombshell" into search box.

Thanks for this link. I have just spent the last 20 minutes on a sentimental journey...forgotten days of my youth.

[dumdum]

Hi all

Many thanks for those who've posted on this. Another mystery solved!

I've got a few badges that are just initials and I've managed to solve a few of them but there are many more that await discovery!

Interesting that Firth's should have created that "back plate" for their badges.

I've got a couple of other OWS "curios" to post at some point in the not too distant future.

[dumdum]

Just an update. We had the devil of a job removing the 1916 "triangle" from the back plate so we could take a photo.

I can imagine that the badge was often worn as it is as you wouldn't want to do this TOO often.......

Some great photos from the "Bombshell" and I was looking to see if anyone was wearing the badge in question but could only see what is possibly the 1915 Ordnance badge in one photo and some indistinct group pics that seem to show the triangle badge.

Am wondering if this "back plate" item denotes some seniority within Firth's (e.g. supervisor), given that they clearly haven't survived in great numbers?

You also see fewer plated 1915/ 1916 badges and I've previously posted a photo of a gilded, enamel-filled 1915 badge with a 3/4 (?)-digit number. Surely some purpose to these variants that eludes us today?

Note that the Firth badge has a 4-digit number whereas the associated 1916 badge has the usual "telephone number" of 5/ 6 digits....