Is this a ww1 petrol can or just a coincidence on date

[arantxa]

It’s in my neighbours  garage but couldn’t see a broad arrow I guess production still went on for other things 

Edited 24 March by arantxa

[mancpal]

I can’t help with your question as I no nothing about fuel cans. What did stand out is the can being made by Pratts and the cap bearing the name Shell, perhaps a later marriage.

Simon

[TullochArd]

As eagle-eyed MancPal has pointed out it's a bit of a Frankenstein job Arantxa. 

Pratts was taken over by Esso in the 1930s and the current Shell cap is not associated. Correct Pratt's type attached below.

The 1916 date you have identified rings true. 

That said, was there an embossed "3/-" just south of the cap? If so, it is a definite civvy can as this was the deposit fee.

[mancpal]

TullochArd,

thanks for your explanation which has expanded my knowledge massively (as it’s the only bit of fuelcanology I currently possess !).
However, I’m a bit of a glutton for car/bike restoration programmes on TV. Almost every show will feature somewhere in the background a variety of vintage Petrol, oil and Diesel containers .  
This made me wonder just how many (military or civilian) were made given that there weren’t petrol stations all over the place in the early days though equally the number of motorised vehicles was minimal compared to modern standards. 
I briefly searched Pratts and most of the pages that cropped up were Pratts memorabilia for sale so there is obviously a market for such items. This example appears to have been repainted and has a totally unconnected cap  though Pratts caps must be available . Did any of the fuel suppliers actually manufacture their own containers or were they bought in ? This is speculation but would two or more oil companies use the same can manufacturer, the only difference being whose corporate identity was pressed into the vessel?

Simon

[TullochArd]

43 minutes ago, mancpal said:

Did any of the fuel suppliers actually manufacture their own containers or were they bought in ? This is speculation but would two or more oil companies use the same can manufacturer, the only difference being whose corporate identity was pressed into the vessel?

They were bought in. Valor made this type of can on contract for most of the famous oil companies. Regarding this one ..... Arantxa's yet to be confirmed "3/-" deposit embossing and his stated lack of a WD crowsfoot will certainly clarify this one's civilian pedigree.

"Fuelcanology" ...... crikey ..... do we need to get a new Sunday afternoon interest MancPal?

Edited 24 March by TullochArd

[mancpal]

Is there a better pastime than to imbibe on a Sunday afternoon having been confined to barracks without any technological devices for 2 days awaiting the ‘overnight’ delivery of my replacement phone. Now I’ve finally got it working rest assured I won’t be paying the exorbitant £60 overnight delivery fee. 
There appears these days to be a wealth of ridiculous subjects with which one can achieve a degree (and a 45k debt). Fuelcanology may be the future, do you think I’ll get a grant?

Simon

[arantxa]

Thanks everyone I will show her the information you told me she had told me becouse her  surname is Pratt her son picked it up somewhere …is it Pratts or Spratts that did the dog biscuits I seem to remember a tall dog biscuit to.  from childhood with a white Yorkie on it ? 

Thank you very interesting 

 

[mancpal]

Arantxa,

could you check whether the can has the 3/-  impression as mentioned above which would determine whether it was a civilian item. The lack of the crows foot made me think civilian, though I’d assume they could have been requisitioned for military purposes to meet demand thus no broad arrow but if the ‘16 date is correct I would have thought by that stage branded cans would have been replaced by a standard military pattern.
As I’ve mentioned fuel containers haven’t really crossed my path other than seeing plenty on telly (civilian mongrel is my bet for this one).

Simon 

 

Edited 24 March by mancpal
Can’t remember

[Mark Finneran]

Manpal do remember the favourite so true military saying…hurry up…and wait. 
For WWI usage undoubtedly commercial cans were used with period imagery reflecting this…even the General’s car. When a vickers man the few military water cans I encountered were WD crows foot but no other inscriptions. 
Does not help the Pratts conversation but these are not uncommon still. The water filler spout, military version, is a challenge.

Mark

[TullochArd]

10 hours ago, mancpal said:

There appears these days to be a wealth of ridiculous subjects with which one can achieve a degree (and a 45k debt). Fuelcanology may be the future, do you think I’ll get a grant?

Fuelcanology certainly sounds like a better option that Northampton University's BA (Hons) in Dance and Wastes Management!

BA (Hons), Dance and Wastes Management, University of Northampton (educationindex.co.uk)

Edited 25 March by TullochArd