Broad Oak Works - Accrington - 1942

[half12]

Hi Gents,

I bought this "book" few days ago in a french auction… it seems to be a factory sample collection, around 140 pieces … dated 9 nov 1942.














A majority of very common badges, but I will be very happy if we could identify all … thanks for your help.

Best regards .. Herve

[manchesters]

A very important reference work in my opinion.

Worthy of much research.

Thanks for showing.

regards

[Wooffy]

Absolutely - and a quick internet search yields:

Broad Oak Printworks was the most important calico printworks of Accrington, founded in 1792 as bleaching crofts by Taylor, Fort, Bury & Co of Oakenshaw. James Bury withdrew in 1794 to run Sabden Printworks, and in 1811 Taylor & Fort dissolved the partnership. In 1812, the works were taken over by Thomas Hargreaves, previously a manager for the firm, and Adam Dugdale. A plan of the works dated 1813 illustrates a typical layout of an early printworks. The most striking feature is the series of separate shops or departments along the stream from east to west: a wash house, two dye houses, sour house, bleaching house, blue dyehouse and singeing house, dry house, stove house, large print house, block shop, machine room, and old print shop. Power was provided by seven waterwheels and the cloth moved downstream from one end of the works to the other as it was processed. The works expanded greatly after 1816, steam power was introduced, and new print shops erected.

Further extensions, including new raising and finishing rooms, turbine engine and boiler houses were added in first years of the twentieth century. Major modernisation and reconstruction scheme after 1920, and new printshops were built in early 1930s. The works contracted after World War II; machine printing ended in 1958, engraving ceased in 1960, the screen printing department closed in 1966, and the finishing operations were transferred to Loveclough in 1970. Warehousing and some minor operations continued. Demolition of portions of the works occurred in the 1960s, principally the older printshops on the eastern perimeter of the complex.

[lettman]

What a great resource -- a super set of benchmarks for comparing other examples. Well done in acquiring it and many thanks for sharing it.

[fougasse1940]

Superb find, well done.

Rgds, Thomas

[BWEF]

Possibly printed earlier than the date stamp?

They have the "windmill" sign of the 18th division that was captured by the Japanese when Singapore fell in February 1942.

[engr9266]

On photo 11 it shows 3 x 1(BR) corps i.e. RE, RA & R Sigs, Are these not post war?? or were they in use before the wars end??
OR am I mistaken completely.

[Postwarden]

There is plenty of evidence that the RA version was worn in wartime, the earliest record I have found dating to May 1942. I have not found records of the RE and Signals versions until early 1946 but given that the sample board is dated October 1942 they must have been made for someone.

There are also versions backed with the colours of the RASC, the RAMC and the Pioneer Corps.

As you rightly say all three versions were revived for BAOR's I Corps in the 1950s.

Jon

[54Bty]

If these are all original badges there are at least two there that I now need to move from my repro pages.

Marc