Object Record
Images
Metadata
Object ID # |
1975.008.001 |
Object Name |
Brooch |
Title |
Merit Pin for War-Time Knitting Work |
Lexicon category |
3: Personal Artifacts |
Year Range from |
1918 |
Year Range to |
1920 |
Artist |
J. R. Gaunt & Son |
Made |
J. R. Gaunt & Son |
Place of Origin |
England, United Kingdom |
Description |
Brass merit pin - all brass at the front, with the background textured for a duller effect, while the wording is shinier. Centrally, there is a maple leaf motif with a crown, "CANADA" banner and "FCC". This is surrounded by an oval border that has "LOVE LOYALTY SERVICE". A banner-like area at the bottom of the oval has "FOR KNITTING". The maple leaf motif has open areas around it, so that the fabric of where it is pinned would show through. The reverse side is stamped with ....GAUNT LONDON. [=J. R. Gaunt of London, England]. There is a steel pinstem that catches in a brass hook catch. |
Makers mark |
The reverse side is stamped with "....GAUNT LONDON". [=J. R. Gaunt of London, England]. |
Provenance |
The pin was manufactured by J. R. Gaunt & Son (London, England). It was sent to Jessie McQuaker (neé Carrie) of Owen Sound, Grey County, from Lady Aberdeen, as a "thank you" for her knitting enthusiasm during the Great War (1914-1918). Mrs. McQuaker had made more than 400 pairs of socks, as well as many scarves and caps. Last owned by her daughter, Agnes Smith (neé McQuaker) of Owen Sound. |
Collection |
Organizational/Government Collection |
Material |
Brass/Metal |
Dimensions |
W-3 L-3.5 cm |
Found |
Owen Sound, Grey County |
People |
McQuaker, John McQuaker, Jessie |
Subjects |
Knitting World War I (First World War/The Great War) |
Function |
An item sent as a thank-you for a civilian's knitting production during the First World War (the Great War). Many women contributed to the war effort by knitting. The various patriotic leagues, Women's Institute groups, and Red Cross groups all knitted and sewed articles. The 1918 Owen Sound Sun newspaper would publish tallies of how many socks, caps, etc. were made by each lady or each group to give them recognition. |