Jim Strawbridge Posted 11 February , 2016 Share Posted 11 February , 2016 Currently on sale on a certain auction site. The suggestion is that it relates to a munition worker. But it is made of metal and I was under the impression that all items worn or carried had to be non-metal to lessen the possibility of a spark causing an explosion. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Knotty Posted 11 February , 2016 Share Posted 11 February , 2016 Hi Jim I take it that the C.I.W. refers to the Chief Inspector,Woolwich Arsenal? Looked the item up on said site and it is allegedly silver plated, my guess is that it was made possibly after 1918, as a momento but not for work. John Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jim Strawbridge Posted 11 February , 2016 Author Share Posted 11 February , 2016 I wonder if it is a "checking in" item. It could be that when signing in for work you left this tally at the front office so that they knew that you were on site. Most useful if there should be an explosion. Then collected it when you left. Incidently, found this :- that at least seem to confirm the munition connection. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pete-c Posted 11 February , 2016 Share Posted 11 February , 2016 More likely to be worn, perhaps on a belt, judging by the shape of the openings, rather than a 'tally'. It's too crudely stamped to me a post-war memento surely? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RaySearching Posted 11 February , 2016 Share Posted 11 February , 2016 The census return reveal's that her forename was Elizabeth 52 Haig Road 1911 Albert Edward Chapman Head Married Male Tramway Inspector 38 1873 Sawston Cambs Elizabeth Chapman Wife Married Female - 40 1871 Clifton Hampden Oxon Albert Willoughby Chapman Son - Male Office Boy 14 1897 Plaistow Essex Edgar Reginald Chapman Son - Male At School 12 1899 Plaistow Essex Doris Minnie Chapman Daughter - Female - 8 1903 Plaistow Essex Edgar Walker Boarder Single Male Warehouseman 22 1889 Poplar Middlesex I think it is an identity disc in case of an explosion She may have been employed close by in The munitions factory, The Brunner, Mond & Co factory See The Silvertown explosion Regards Ray Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NigelS Posted 11 February , 2016 Share Posted 11 February , 2016 If the base metal is brass, in my understanding, because its a soft metal there would be no risk of it causing explosions (same reason bomb disposal used brass tools); similar would apply to silver, but such a basic item is unlikely to have been silver plated from the outset. Regardless of whether it was actually taken into areas where there was a risk of explosion - a check in tally wouldn't have been anyway - possibly the owner had her original war time brass tally silver plated, post war, as a memento? NigelS Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RaySearching Posted 11 February , 2016 Share Posted 11 February , 2016 GWF C.I.W and here Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Knotty Posted 11 February , 2016 Share Posted 11 February , 2016 (edited) But surely if it is silver plated then it's conductivity is better than copper,not what you want in a munitions factory or dealing with explosives. In the book Reinventing warfare 1914-1918 Munitions and Trench warfare by Anthony Saunders,he gives the abbreviation C.I.W as the Chief Inspector,Woolwich Yet another abbreviation that needs some more research. John Edited 11 February , 2016 by Knotty Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RaySearching Posted 11 February , 2016 Share Posted 11 February , 2016 Hi Jim I take it that the C.I.W. refers to the Chief Inspector,Woolwich Arsenal? Looked the item up on said site ( and it is allegedly silver plated,) my guess is that it was made possibly after 1918, as a momento but not for work. John We have no proof that the disc is silver plated , only the sellers description Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Terry_Reeves Posted 11 February , 2016 Share Posted 11 February , 2016 Assuming it is Woolwich, I would venture to suggest that 8840 was her works number. According to the link below the numbers were also tencilled on their overalls. The other numbers may indicate the shops she worked in. In any event this account of work at Woolwich might be of interest: https://memory.loc.gov/service/gdc/scd0001/2010/20101207002mu/20101207002mu.pdf TR Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NigelS Posted 11 February , 2016 Share Posted 11 February , 2016 We have no proof that the disc is silver plated , only the sellers description It could be nickel NigelS Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PhilB Posted 11 February , 2016 Share Posted 11 February , 2016 The curvature suggests being worn on the wrist. It certainly has a nickel alloy look about it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RaySearching Posted 11 February , 2016 Share Posted 11 February , 2016 I think Nigel is on the right track regarding the disc's metallic compositionIt could be a nickel copper alloy, or a iron, copper nickel alloy or any one of the stainless steels with a high copper content which would make the disc spark resistantwhich would allow it to be used as an identity disc defiantly not produced as a memento but kept as one after the war regards Ray Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dink_and_pip Posted 12 February , 2016 Share Posted 12 February , 2016 If you look at the pictures of the item - zoom in on description - you can see it's hallmarked silver. I have a copy of the 'Rules for employees' from Chilwell dated February 1917 and in the list of banned items is anything made from iron or steel also chewing gum. I scanned it into a pdf so just pm me for a copy. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted 25 May , 2019 Share Posted 25 May , 2019 Hi, Elizabeth Chapman is my great great grandmother - I would love to know who bought this item and more about it. Kim Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Create an account or sign in to comment
You need to be a member in order to leave a comment
Create an account
Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!
Register a new accountSign in
Already have an account? Sign in here.
Sign In Now