Home Guard Bradford Proficiency Badge

[Rob Miller]

I read in "Birmingham at war, Vol 2" by Alton Douglas page 57,

"A typical Home Guard Battalion

44th bn. Royal Warks. Regt. was formed in the Hockley area by 4 firms, each providing a company. These were W. Canning and Co. Ltd., Joseph Lucas Ltd., Bulpitt & Sons Ltd. and the Birmingham Mint, which was joined by a small firm, Thomas Fattorini Ltd."

And it made me wonder if there was a connection between Fattorini joining the Home Guard and supplying and perhaps wearing this badge.

Obviously Bradford and Birmingham are no little distance apart, but did Fattorini have several works at the time, this badge is marked Fattorini Bradford on the back and this works may have been part of another Home Guard unit there?

Rob

[Postwarden]

As I discovered when writing my lapel badge book Doing Their Bit there were two separate Fattorini businesses, the Birmingham-based one distinguished by the inclusion of the name Thomas as explained in this extract from the book.

Jon

Antonio Fattorini arrived in England from Italy in 1827 and settled in Leeds. By the 1830s he was advertising as ‘Fattorini and Sons, Goldsmiths; Skipton, Harrogate and Bradford’. Antonio’s grandson added his name to the Skipton business in the 1890s when the firm became known as Thomas Fattorini. Thomas remained in charge until his death in 1934, opening several further shops and businesses. From April 1893 the gold and silver products made for his jewellery business were hallmarked at the Birmingham Assay Office and in 1919 a manufacturing business for medals and trophies was set up in the city. When day to day control of the business passed to his sons in 1928, the company became Thomas Fattorini Ltd based at Regent Street Works, Birmingham. As other branches of the family still traded under the Fattorini name all advertising material for the Birmingham business underlined Thomas and carried the slogan ‘Note the Thomas in our name, similar firms are not the same’.

[Rob Miller]

Thank you, that explains quite a bit, and complicates it too.

Rob

[magpie]

I'd like to know why there seems to be so many of these Bradford HG badges around, I met someone a few years back who had a load in a plastic takeaway food type box who then showed me another 3 full boxes and saying he had more at home.

[manchesters]

Many early VTC lapel badges show Fattorini at Bolton, Lancashire as well.

regards

[Home Guard]

Magpie, I have heard that someone fund a box of them in a warehouse, and that is why there are so many available. Have not been able to confirm that, but it does make sense to me. And, as far as I know, it has not been faked.

Jon may know more about it.

Terry

[Charliedog012012]

Originally Posted by Postwarden

As I discovered when writing my lapel badge book Doing Their Bit there were two separate Fattorini businesses, the Birmingham-based one distinguished by the inclusion of the name Thomas as explained in this extract from the book.

Jon

Antonio Fattorini arrived in England from Italy in 1827 and settled in Leeds. By the 1830s he was advertising as ‘Fattorini and Sons, Goldsmiths; Skipton, Harrogate and Bradford’. Antonio’s grandson added his name to the Skipton business in the 1890s when the firm became known as Thomas Fattorini. Thomas remained in charge until his death in 1934, opening several further shops and businesses. From April 1893 the gold and silver products made for his jewellery business were hallmarked at the Birmingham Assay Office and in 1919 a manufacturing business for medals and trophies was set up in the city. When day to day control of the business passed to his sons in 1928, the company became Thomas Fattorini Ltd based at Regent Street Works, Birmingham. As other branches of the family still traded under the Fattorini name all advertising material for the Birmingham business underlined Thomas and carried the slogan ‘Note the Thomas in our name, similar firms are not the same’.

Thank You! That clarifies a lot of issues when trying to negotiate what could be classed as a complete minefield in respect of the different Fattorini businesses.

[REME 245]

Still in operation and they manufactured the last Jubilee Medal. Not sure who won the contract to manufacture next years medal

[Mike_2817]

They still have a Jewellers shop in Harrogate