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Unlocking the secrets of Lizzie's and Halsey's century-old miscellanea

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26 Tewkesbury Historical Society Bulletin 2016

UNLOCKING THE SECRETS OF LIZZIE’S AND HALSEY’S

CENTURY-OLD MISCELLANEA

Jim Freeman

U sing old artefacts to gain insights into past events, figures and places has been all the

rage of late – recent salient examples including the

City of New York,1 Scotland Yard’s History of

Crime, and the Battle of Waterloo. Such is its

popularity, the technique even featured in an

article in last year’s Bulletin on one of Tewkes-

bury’s most endearing eccentrics, the late Mrs.

Margot Greaves, whose husband, ‘Gee’, it now

appears was once an honorary Ashanti chief!2 For

this new application, we focus on a collection of

miscellanea accumulated around the time of the

First World War by my grandparents, Lizzie and

Halsey – to often fascinating effect.

Silk Embroidered Postcards

Silk embroidered postcards, which first appeared

at the Paris Exhibition in 1900, reached the height

of their popularity during World War I. Decorated

with forget-me-nots, pansies, bluebirds, patriotic

messages and symbols such as the flags of the

Allies, regimental crests and badges, an estimated

10 million of these so-called ‘WWI silks’ were

made. Hugely popular as keepsakes with British

and American soldiers fighting on the Western

Front, cards could be bought for just a few francs

each.

The three World War I silks in Lizzie’s

collection are highly representative of the art form:

all have embossed edging and are unstamped (as

they would have been transported by Military Mail

at no charge to the sender). Of the two that appear

here, the one from Halsey to Lizzie is the more

distinctive, having a central portion cut as a flap

behind which a tiny printed card has been inserted

with the sentiment ‘Remembrance’. In contrast, the

card from Lizzie to Halsey below is much less

elaborate and unlike Halsey’s was produced in

England not France, where cards are normally attr-

ibuted?3 Both cards convey just simple messages

of love and affection – in keeping with the

convention at the time.

1. Lizzie in the Vineyards 2. Halsey

3. Card from Halsey to Lizzie

4. Card from Lizzie

to Halsey

Unlocking the Secrets of Lizzie’s and Halsey’s Century-old Miscellanea 27

Ration Books

Food became so scarce during World War I that by

1916 it was actually illegal to eat more than two

courses for lunch or more than three for dinner in a

public eating-place; indeed, fines could even be

imposed for feeding pigeons or stray animals. At

the time, Britain was heavily reliant on food

imports from America and Canada, which could be

transhipped from the New World in relative safety

up till 1916. By January 1917, however, the situa-

tion had reversed dramatically as Germany’s U-

boat campaign of unrestricted submarine warfare

began to exact a heavy toll on North Atlantic

shipping. In response to the worsening crisis,

Britain introduced voluntary rationing. At first this

was well-received and seemed to work very

effectively but as wheat stores decreased to just six

weeks’ supply, compulsory rationing became

inevitable.

Introduced in stages between December 1917

and February 1918, at first only sugar was rationed

– but then butter, margarine, lard and meat

followed. (The weekly allowance was 2lb of meat,

½ lb sugar and ½ lb total fats per person).4 Ration

books came into force on 15 July 1918 and had to

be registered with a designated butcher and grocer.

Rules associated with the scheme were enforced

very strictly: anyone found cheating could be fined

or even sent to prison.5

Despite early apprehensions about its likely

efficacy, rationing was eventually judged to have

had a largely beneficial effect on the health of the

nation – eliminating in particular much of the

malnutrition that had been so prevalent in many

poor communities, pre-war.

The two ration books we have of Lizzie’s have

slightly different formats and are dated 1 July 1918

and 19 October 1918 respectively (note that books

were issued a fortnight before they were due to be

used). Both confirm that her rations were sourced

from the Co-op at Malvern Link (where she was

staying with her parents while her husband Halsey

was fighting in Flanders). Also that whereas the

first book covers 16 weeks of rations, the second

handles 26 weeks’ worth. Interestingly a page from

the later book (illustration 9) shows most of the

coupons for Lard went unredeemed – reflecting

perhaps the long but steady decline in consumption

of this particular foodstuff.

Jug and Wash-bowl Set

Jug and wash-bowl sets became very popular

towards the end of the 19th century – their use

(usually in the bedroom) continuing right into the

first half of the 20th century. Typically a set would

take pride of place on top of a marble-topped

washstand, backed by a small quilt-like cloth piece

hung to protect the wall behind from splashes.

Lizzie’s ironstone set possibly dates from the

time (1919) she and her husband moved into their

5.

Lizzie’s

ration book

dated

1 Jul 1918

6.

Lizzie’s

ration book

dated

19 Oct 1918

7.

Lizzie’s

1918

ration book,

retailers

8.

Lizzie’s

1918

ration book,

numbering

of weeks

9.

Lizzie’s

1918

ration book,

lard rations

28 Tewkesbury Historical Society Bulletin 2016

first marital home in Tewkesbury – end-of-terrace

6 Providence Place. Given the very primitive

nature of facilities at their new accommodation –

washing and toilet facilities were housed in a com-

munal block, shared at the far end of the terrace,

near Barton Street (a not uncommon arrangement

in those days) – one can well imagine how vital the

set would have proven in the circumstances,

especially in winter.6

Lizzie’s Photographic Album

Despite its dilapidated appearance, this album is

evidential in a number of respects. Firstly it con-

tains a classic photo of her second youngest sister

Florence Macdonald (Flo). Flo was the only one of

Lizzie’s siblings ever to leave Tewkesbury, train-

ing first as a nurse in London before moving on to

Manchester where she eventually found work as a

nanny at Ellesmere Park. It was in this capacity

that she married Alec Monteith, whom she met

through the Salvation Army. They had three chil-

dren, Derek, Sheila and John, and for a long time

fostered a little boy, Brian, who ultimately returned

to his family (to Flo’s considerable distress).

Tragically, because of bronchial illness, Alec only

lived to the age of 54 whereas Flo survived to just

two weeks short of her 90th birthday.

Secondly, the childish writing on the cover of

the album looks suspiciously like the work of

Lizzie’s son, Neville, who seems to have mis-

chievously omitted any reference here to his

adopted sister Dorothy (‘Doll’) with whom he was

at odds nearly all his life.

As a widow, Lizzie had great trouble coping

with the quarrelsome pair – unlike the formidable

and sharp-tongued Flo who, on her annual holidays

to Tewkesbury by train (underwritten by the rail-

way company for whom Alec used to work), could

leave them cowering – especially when she was

decked out in her nurse’s uniform!7

Medals and Badges

Halsey’s medals and badges from World War I

(shown below, illustrations 14 to 18) yield a num-

ber of interesting insights.

His cap badge: at the time he was conscripted

into the Royal Artillery, the RA had been split into

the Royal Horse Artillery (RHA), the Royal Field

Artillery (RFA) and the Royal Garrison Artillery

(RGA). Halsey was a member of the RGA.8

The British War Medal 1914-18, colloquially

known as ‘Squeak’, was awarded to officers and

men of the British and Imperial Forces who either

entered a theatre of war or entered service overseas

between 5 August 1914 and 11 November 1918

10. Large vintage jug and bowl set

(Bowl 460 mm x 410 mm x 130 mm, Jug 270 mm)

11.

Lizzie’s

photographic

album

12.

Lizzie’s

sister Flo

13.

Lizzie’s

son Neville

Unlocking the Secrets of Lizzie’s and Halsey’s Century-old Miscellanea 29

inclusive. This was later extended to services in

Russia, Siberia and some other areas in 1919 and

1920.

Approximately 6.5 million British War Medals

were issued, almost 6.4 million of which were the

solid sterling silver versions. The front of the

medal depicts the head of George V.

Halsey did receive a British War Medal accord-

ing to army records but bafflingly this is not it.

From details engraved on its rim, this medal,

minus its ribbon suspender, was actually awarded

to “47529 PTE W SPENCER LEIC R”. What hap-

pened to Halsey’s is an enigma. Our guess is that it

was either lost or sold and later replaced by Pte.

Spencer’s before its disappearance was discovered.

A century later, we can only speculate.

The Allied Victory Medal, known as ‘Wilfred’,

was made of bronze and has similar design and

wording to those issued by other Allies at the end

of the war. The front depicts a winged classical

figure representing Victory. Approximately 5.7

million Victory Medals were issued. Therefore, not

everyone who received the British War Medal also

acquired the Victory Medal.9

The Silver War Badge was instituted on 12

September 1916. Often nicknamed the ‘Silver

Wound Badge’, it was awarded to service person-

nel who sustained a wound or contracted an illness

or disability for which they were invalided out. It

is solid silver, 36mm in diameter, and has a pin

fixing on the reverse. Silver War Badges were not

named with the recipient’s details but were

numbered on the reverse and this number can be

cross-referenced against records at the National

Archives. In Halsey’s case, the badge seems to link

with a gas attack for which he received ‘a

Blighty’ (i.e. was medically evacuated back to

England) in 1918.10

After war was declared, some companies

started to issue their workers with ‘On War

Service’ badges – this was to protect men eligible

for military service but engaged in essential war

work from being accosted by young women in the

street, who would hand them white feathers and

accuse them of being ‘slackers’, ‘shirkers’ and

‘cowards’. Sometime in early 1915, the War Office

followed suit and issued the brass ‘On War Service

1915’ badge which superseded an oval blue-

enamelled prototype.

On 27 July 1916 there were 1,347,627 badged

men – 900,000 of them of military age. All badges

were numbered (Halsey’s was 44882) but no

Government records exist that allow a given badge

number to be tied to a particular company or

employee. A list does exist of all firms to whom

badges were issued up to 6 May 1916. Similarly, a

further 312-page file contains a complete list of all

firms to whom badges were issued as of 31

December 1916, together with the number of

badges issued to them and a coded classification of

the work they were engaged in. Hundreds of

occupations were eligible – ranging from the

commonplace to the bizarre,

e.g. ‘Forceps spring maker

(surgical & dental)’, ‘Vice

forgers assistant (misc. metal

trades)’ and ‘Bell maker (bugle

& trumpet making)’! In Hal-

sey’s case, his On War Service

1915 badge was awarded for

his working in the much less

exotic sounding role of a

‘Metal Examiner’ in Saltley,

Birmingham.11

Viewpoint

Like many other people of ‘a certain age’, I find

myself acquiring more and more family artefacts

with each passing generation. Sometimes these are

in such bad condition or so devoid of information

value, e.g. photos of unrecognisable people, that

the natural tendency is to bin them.

From long-standing experience, this should be

avoided wherever possible. Materials that may

initially look unpromising can sometimes end up

delivering the most intriguing historical insights.

For example, in the case of illustration 12

above, this is the only hard evidence as far as we

know of Flo’s nursing background. Similarly,

illustration 11 subtly flags the sibling rivalry

(undocumented elsewhere) between Neville and

his sister – a mutual disdain that was to continue

all their adult lives apart from a brief token

reconciliation just prior to Neville’s death.

14. Halsey’s Royal Garrison

Artillery cap badge 15. British War Medal

1914-18

16.

Allied

Victory

Medal

17. Silver War Badge

18. On War Service

1915 badge

30 Tewkesbury Historical Society Bulletin 2016

REFERENCES

1 http://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2012/09/02/nyregion/a-history-of-new-york-in-50-objects ; Alan Moss and

Keith Skinner (2015) Scotland Yard’s History of Crime in 100 Objects, (The History Press, 2015); Gareth Glover,

Waterloo in 100 objects, (The History Press, 2015). 2 Jim Freeman, ‘Gathering Clues from Margot’s Extraordinary Objects’, THS Bulletin 24 (2015) pp 56-59. 3 www.bbc.co.uk/ahistoryoftheworld/objects ; www.libraryofbirmingham.com/silkembroideredpostcards ;

www.ww1-propaganda-cards.com/silks ; www.google.com+silk+cards+french ;

www.trenchartofww1.co.uk/silk_postcards ; en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Raphael_Tuck 4 In Imperial measurement before 1971, 1 lb = 16 oz; in Metric measurement 1 lb = 0.45 kg (1 kg = 2.2 lb). 5 en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rationing_in_the_United_Kingdom ; www.1900s.org.uk/1918-food-rationing.htm ;

www.illustratedfirstworldwar.com/timeline/1918-2/rationing-introduced ; ereh.oxfordjournals.org . 6 myoldhistorichouse.blogspot.co.uk/2011/11/washing-up ; the ironstone was first produced in 1813 by Yorkshireman,

Miles Mason ( http://www.janicepaull.com/history/history.htm ); www.1900s.org.uk/1900s-guest-facilities.htm . 7 Neville features on the covers of THS Bulletins 17 (2008), 19 (2010) and 20 (2011). 8 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Royal_Artillery . 9 Pip, Squeak and Wilfred was a long-running British newspaper strip cartoon published in the Daily Mirror from

1919 to 1956. The three names were used as nicknames for the coveted World War 1 campaign medals: ‘Pip’ was the

1914 Mons Star or the 1914-15 Star, the British War Medal was called ‘Squeak’, and the Victory Medal was called

‘Wilfred’. [Editor, from Wikipedia] 10 Jim Freeman, ‘Bagging a Blighty’, THS Bulletin 13 (2004) pp 41-47. 11 Jim Freeman, ‘Halsey’s Lost War Records’, THS Bulletin 12 (2003) pp 37-41.

All photographs supplied by the author.

This is from the Tewkesbury Register in 1928.

One wonders what “The Man in the Street” would have made of EU agricultural policy and regulations?

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