Brodie maker

[Kath]

WW1 British BRODIE HELMET shell only - Item number: 330132724698

Seller says:Maker marked D/A 128 (James Dixon & Sons).

Is this james Dixon of sheffield?

Kath.

[Joe Sweeney]

Kath,

Yes this is Dixon of Sheffield.

The code actually means that the Helmet was manufactured/assembld by James Dixon and Sons (Sheffield) by steel supplied by Edgar Allen & Co. Ltd. (Sheffield) heat number 128.

Both of these firms were part of the Sheffield Munitions Committee.

Joe Sweeney

[Kath]

Thanks, Joe.

I've seen somewhere that Dixon's used soup tureen moulds for the helmets.

Is there a publication on Sheffield's WW1 Munition work?

Kath.

[Guest Trenchwire]

Kath

this is link I posted and I had some great info from other forum users

http://1914-1918.invisionzone.com/forums/i...c=73643&hl=

Alan

[Joe Sweeney]

Kath,

No specific works on Sheffield but here is some info from a researcher on Helmet makers.

This is what I have, you'll find that most marks are the Steel manufacturers and not necessarily the manufacturer of the Helmet:

Steel suppliers:

FS, Thomas Firth and Sons (sept 15 thru 19)

HS, Hadfields Ltd. Jan 16 thru 1919

BS, W Beardmore & Co. Ltd. Jan 16 thru 19

MS, Miris Steel Co. Ltd March 16 thru 17

Until August 1916 mosty of this steel was supplied to Joseph Sankey and Son Ltd. for pressing into helmet shape. The remaining 75,000 sheets went to Bleriot Ltd in London or Army & Navy Cooperative.

Sheffield Muntions committee suppliers

A) Helmet Manufacturer

D, James Dixon & Sons Dec 15 till ?

H, W Hutton & Sons Dec 15 till

HH, Harrison Bros. & Howson Ltd. Dec 15 till

M, J&J Maxfield & sons Dec 15 till

R, John Round & Sons 1916

V, W&E Viener Dec 15 till

Steel Supplier

A, Edgar Allen and Co. Ltd 16-18

F, Thomas Firth and Sons 16 till 18

O, Samuel Osborne & Co Ltd. 16 thru 18

V, Vickers Ltd 16-17

B, Bury's & Co. 16-18

Codes on helmets should read M/A That is helmet made by J&J Maxfield & sons from steel supplied by Edgar Allen and Co. Ltd followed by a lot (heat) code for the steel.

Sheffield only produced small quantities a week, Edgar Allen and Co. Ltd was known to mark helmets with "Imperial".

Helmet manufacturers not part of the Sheffield Munitions Committee Group:

Army & Navy Co-operative Society Sept 1915 thru Jan 1916 (Not Marked)

Joseph Sankey & Sons Ltd. Oct 15 to Oct 16 (No marks except Steel suppliers)

Bleriot Ltd. May 1916 to October 1916 (No marks except Steel suppliers)

Hadfields Ltd. Aug 1916 to 1919 (Prior to Aug 1916 this firm only supplied steel no mark other than origianl Steel supplier mark) Aug 16 thru 19

W Beardmore & Co. Ltd. Aug 1916 thru 1918 (Prior to Aug 1916 this firm only supplied steel no mark other than origianl Steel supplier mark) Aug 16 thru 18

Miris Steel Co. (Prior to Aug 1916 this firm only supplied steel no mark other than origianl Steel supplier mark) Sept 16 thru 17.

Other marks not 100% identified:

MLS ?

FKS Possibly Thomas Firth & Son

M&S possibly Maxfield & Sons.

All research done by Marcus Cotton.

Joe Sweeney

Here is the link to the original thread:

http://1914-1918.invisionzone.com/forums/i...60&hl=Firth

Joe Sweeney

[Guest Trenchwire]

joe this link has already been posted as attached above

[Kath]

First, I've only just now had one Topic Subscription Reply Notification, for Joe Sweeney.

Second, Thank you , Alan, for the link.

Third, Thank you, Joe for your detailed reply.

I've recently looked through a very interesting book: Iron, Steel and Allied Trades, Industries of Sheffield and District pub. 1905 for the meeting of the Institute of Iron, Steel and Allied Trades in Sheffield.

The section on Hadfields (I think) had illustrations of shell making and experiments on the effects of shelling armour plate steel.

In Kelham Island Industrial Museum is a fascinating steam engine for rolling huge slabs of armour plate steel . There is an sample of the steel - I didn't know how thick it was - with the effects of shelling.

There is also a brodie on show - but no information apart from its being WW1, at least when I saw it.

Kath.