The Orkney Image Library
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Mystery thing. Picture taken today. This lapel badge dates from 1940 and was worn for a time by a seafaring uncle of mine. What was the point of it? Answers on a post please.
Picture added on 03 May 2010 at 19:06
This picture is in the following groups
Mystery places or things or people
Mystery places or things or people
This mystery was probably a little unfair - the only Orkney connection being that my late Uncle Charlie Smith wore it at one time. The uneasy juxtaposition of a swollen-headed lion rampant, the motto of the British monarchy, and a bit of red, white and blue banner suggests it couldn't be a British product. Sure enough, this gold-plated enamelled lapel-badge was made by the American company Accessocraft to a design patented in 1940. It was sold in the USA in aid of the British War Relief Society, a charity devoted to helping Britain before America entered the 2nd world war. My seafaring uncle would have bought it on one of his trips stateside (before Operation Drumbeat, commemorated in photo #23764). It was one of many artefacts sold in aid of the BWRS.
Added by Ian Hourston on 06 May 2010
God and my right is the motto of the British monarch. I found this on a web page about collecting war relief memorabilia:
British War Relief Society and its affiliates provide a wealth of items for the homefront collector. Probably most familiar and least expensive are the pins. They display the lion and shield "British War Relief Emblem" reputedly designed by Mrs. Wales Latham herself. They usually feature the French motto "Dieu et mon Droit". Translated as "God and my right", this motto appears on the British Royal crest and was once the watchword of Richard the Lionheart. All pins are labelled on the back as either "Official Bundles for Britain" or, more commonly, "Official BWRS and BB". The larger brooch is usually thought of as a woman's piece and is sometimes mis-identified as a BWRS membership pin. The small pin, sometimes called the "men's lapel pin", comes in pinback and screwback varieties, has less ribbon enamel work and is more common on the market today, likely because it was less costly to purchase at the time.
British War Relief Society and its affiliates provide a wealth of items for the homefront collector. Probably most familiar and least expensive are the pins. They display the lion and shield "British War Relief Emblem" reputedly designed by Mrs. Wales Latham herself. They usually feature the French motto "Dieu et mon Droit". Translated as "God and my right", this motto appears on the British Royal crest and was once the watchword of Richard the Lionheart. All pins are labelled on the back as either "Official Bundles for Britain" or, more commonly, "Official BWRS and BB". The larger brooch is usually thought of as a woman's piece and is sometimes mis-identified as a BWRS membership pin. The small pin, sometimes called the "men's lapel pin", comes in pinback and screwback varieties, has less ribbon enamel work and is more common on the market today, likely because it was less costly to purchase at the time.
Added by Cathleen Spence on 07 May 2010
Thanks Cathleen. This one is the screwback variety.
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Added by Ian Hourston on 08 May 2010
Stromness
