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Bonney brand was a few notches above Snap-on. They were very expensive and when they went bust the UK importer/distributor sold them off to independent trade van sales. I bought an 18 mm and it is so polished and precise that I keep it on the desk and have never used it.
Snap-on at the time were something like £1 a mil, Bonney were £3 a mil. My 18 mm spanner should have been around £45-50 at the time (late eighties). Could all have been BS from the tool guy of course.
The Palmera ones were/are cheap Spanish stuff found on market stalls.
That's interesting to know Marko, they certainly feel really nice to pick up and hold. Steve loved really good tools but at the same time he was also a great fan of everything that turned up in the middle of Lidl! Mum and dad would despair when the weeks special buys were tools as they knew they'd have a hard job in persuading him not to add the lot to his shopping list.
As we are heading towards an economic shock we haven't seen in 300 years I've realised I might need a new job so given that this was in the garage I've decided that a good 18th century occupation would be a pirate.
I believe it's his father's officer of the watch telescope possibly of WW1 vintage. It's made by Ross of London and is also marked Yeates & Son Dublin where it was bought. There is a box of pipes I have some of which were his father's I believe which are from a Dublin maker so I assume he spent some time there. It's difficult to know for sure as Steve never talked about his father, I don't think he ever forgave him for abandoning his mother.
If its army issue from the first world war it should be date stamped next ordinance stamp i think. Certainly the family binoculars etc i have from ww1 and a few other bits were very easy to date.
@joshvegas I don't think it would have been naval issue at that time, more something he would have purchased himself. There are no ordnance markings on it. I do know his father served in Royal Australian Navy but I believe he was Royal Navy before that.
I've rethought the pirate option, too much risk of seasickness so I've decided on highwayman instead
He'd mentioned a horse pistol he had in the garage, turns out it was this a William IV cavalry pistol from the 1830's. It's another of those things where I've no idea how he came to own it.
Wow. Looks in great condition
Ermmmmmmm............ there might be legalities involved with that, you might want to ask at a gun shop or the police station what to do with it.
It's a black powder pistol so as far as I can ascertain there are no issues with ownership of one. You can find them going in auctions. The two Lugers and Lee Enfield Mk4 that he used to have might have been an issue but his wife made him hand those in. I think he found that very hard, one of the Lugers was apparently of WW1 vintage.
My first thought as well Skankin_giant😊
*desperately hopes for parrot in next picture*
Wow, this truly is a remarkable treasure trove of things, this garage.
On the subject of the pistol. For years, when we were kids, there were two pistols quite similar to that one mounted on the wall of my grandparents' living room - we always knew them as 'The Duelling Pistols' for whatever reason. Anyway, when grandparents died, they went to my dad, and then when he died last year, they emerged from a storage box in the garage there. Dad had checked with the police several years ago, and they were fine with him keeping them. Anyway, my brother did some digging, and sent photos and descriptions to a couple of dealers; the upshot of it was that the pair of them were worth roughly £1200. Neither was in the good condition (especially the flintlock mechanism) of that one, but it has to be said that one of them had the name 'Griffin' on it, which apparently is a much sought-after brand. The dealer took them for restoration and selling on, as he obviously has the contacts to do that much easier than we could have done.
If you (or Steve's family) are interested in valuation, I could probably dig out the details of the dealer that my brother contacted; in Dorking or Reigate or somewhere, as I recall. PM me if you want that.
I have nothing to add, other than my envy. Dave must have been a fascinating person to know.
Dave must have been a fascinating person to know
Ermm, Dave's demise might be a bit of a shock to him.
I didn't even know I was unwell!
No parrot unfortunately but he did have a pet monkey when he was young. The family spent some time in Africa, I have his mother's Gold Coast driving licence from 1926 among other things.
Serves me right for posting when I should have been working! Apologies to both.😊
posting when I should have been working
If we stopped doing that, tumble weed would start appearing!
Ermm, Dave’s demise might be a bit of a shock to him.
has he heard the news about Joe Cocker?
@thelawman I remember the days of dueling pistols on the wall and when Steve first mentioned this pistol I sort of assumed it was a reproduction from those days, not the real thing. I should of known better! I really don't know what I'll do with it but I can't see myself selling it, If I do then I'll pm you.
I've decided I'll stay on the right side of the law, I've ruled out pirate and highwayman and am going for Bow Street Runner
Again no idea of where this came from but if a man has a sword, a machete, an axe and a pistol in his garage then a truncheon is hardly a surprise. I think Steve may have been the shopkeeper*
* those of a certain age may know who I mean
* those of a certain age may know who I mean
nods knowingly
If you find a Fez, then it's confirmed!
Did Steve used to appear as if by magic?
If so, then he was definitely the shopkeeper.
* wry smile at the reference.. *
Well I haven't found a fez yet but if I do how do I differentiate between appearing "as if by magic" or "just like that" 😊
I bloody hated that shopkeeper. In my first few years at infants I went home for lunch and could catch a bit of TV. The shopkeeper appearing meant Mr Ben was about to end hence lunch was over and it was back to school.
In the mouse eaten box of books was this.
From what I can put together his father in law served in the 47th London Division in WWI as part of a Vicker's machine gun crew.The handwritten note inside the book appear to be orders about action to be taken in the event of an enemy breakthrough.
I'm not 100% sure yet but from everything I know so far this is him on the left.
This is proper history - what a treasure trove you have in all this, dave!
It is a treasure trove fadda but I have mixed feelings about it. I've photos that go back to the turn of the 20th century, some may be earlier and birth, marriage and death certificates of a similar age as well as all these objects. While I love them and find them fascinating I'm saddened that there is no family for them to go to. Steve and Joan were a couple from some time in the early 50's but didn't get married until 1975 when they were in their 50's and never had children. I don't know why they made that choice but I think both were dedicated to looking after parent's, Steve his mother and Joan I think was very close to her father. I think it wasn't until his mother died that they actually got married.
I wonder if there are local history facilities (probably, but not necessarily museums) that could get some benefit from some of that stuff, and they're likely to treat it with the love and respect it deserves, too...
Retro HiFi this morning, an Ecko record player with Garrard deck
Found under the work bench, unfortunately the mice and the woodworm had got to it before me.
This thread continues to be a highlight of my day.
Typical of Steve, he reluctantly handed in his Lee Enfield but they weren't getting the cleaning kit, it might come in useful for something else.
This thread continues to be a highlight of my day.
Agreed!
That rifle cleaning kit takes me back 40-odd years. I was in the school cadet force, and we had a supply of Lee Enfield .303s stashed away, which were regularly dragged out for parades and drill, and rather more occasionally for actual use. Yes, as 16/17 year olds, we were each given a 1st World War rifle, and let loose on the Wrekin firing range, usually at 200 & 300 yards, to see how many holes we could put in a cardboard target of an advancing 'enemy' soldier. This was in the mid-late '70s. Although I say so myself, I was actually quite a good shot with the thing, despite the fact that loosing off each round pushed my puny 8 stone frame backwards about 12". Then afterwards back at school, we had to clean the gun - and that kit is familiar, particularly the weighted pull-cord and the bristly brush thingy to clean the rifled barrel. Can't recall how the rest of the kit came into the equation now, but it did involve dismantling and removing quite a lot of the firing mechanism in order to access the breech. One part of the photo looks like a sharpening stone, so maybe was for the bayonet?
@thelawman. I have similar memories of my childhood. I was in the Army Cadets and remember using the Lee Enfield with blank ammo on the local training area - without ear defenders!
Next day firing them with live ammo on the local 25m range.
I think I was about 12 at the time.
My ears have not been right since.
Thanks to Steve and Dave I was able to answer the “What country was the first to introduce paper money” question in last night’s zoom quiz. Everyone was going for China, so thought I was mad saying Sweden!
Was a bit difficult to answer when they asked in disbelief how the hell I knew!
@beamers - yep, even the blanks were noisy; we'd do 'field days' and tactical exercises on various training grounds around the country using blanks.
The school also had (still has, for all I know) an indoor 25m range for use with Lee Enfields, but converted down to .22 calibre. I was less successful on that, mainly because the lighting or my eyesight was so poor I couldn't work out where in the black and white picture the machine-gun nest was supposed to be.
You should have sent them a link FB-ATB. I was never a cadet, cubs, scouts then ventures for me but my 6th form had a cadet force and a firing range where I used to fire .22's every week which I used to enjoy. I made up for the small caliber stuff at the MOD where I think the biggest thing we ever set off was 600KG of HE suspended from 2 towers. That made quite a bang!
@avdave2, this guy sounds like a character :), the tunic needs to be conserved if it’s going to last. The Imperial War Museum may well be interested in the military history and possibly some of the family stuff too.
Pd, you’re a git for making me feel old with the Mr Ben reference!
Ah yes, I think the Lee Enfield converted to .22 was called the No.8.
I also remember firing the Bren, live on the range and also with wooden headed blanks. The blank firing barrel had something on the end of it which trapped, and destroyed, the heads.
@Beamers, they’re called bulleted blanks, and were great fun at night! I Lit up 1/2 the training area one night with them.
Another ex ACF member signing in.
I was in the school cadets in the nearly 90’s at the point they swapped our Brens for LSW’s. Resulted in a trip to the range for a couple of us to burn through the last few hundred rounds of .303. Fun afternoon!
Another camping stove this morning.
I'd not had Steve and Joan down as campers and it was only this morning that I think I now know why he had this set. During the week I was taken right back to childhood watching The Crown and the miners strike and the 3 day week. In the box for the lantern was also half a dozen candles and you can tell from there colour they've been in there a long time. It's my guess they he may have bought these back then for power cuts.
That could be useful in the current crisis!
I've got one of those gaz sets it's a fantastic bit of kit all still fully serviceable the box is a windbreak too.
Good tread too
Yes the box is well thought out with the stand for the stove and the door and panel to form a windbreak. The garage was pretty well equipped for all eventualities, tools, weapons, stoves, food and most important of all a 6 pack of toilet roll!
6 pack of toilet roll!
Keeping the best til last, then?
C’mon, we want pictures!!
C’mon, we want pictures!!
Back off FB-ATB, the lady says no
She wasn't in the garage but she did come from his house.
Hold on, you’re telling me a man with a machete, rifles, duelling pistol, sword, cannon shells, truncheon and god knows what else had that in the khazi to hide the bog roll?
Admit it, it’s yours isn’t it!
I imagine alot of the weapons 'migrated' from armouries. Old barracks and manor houses that were commandeered etc must gave loads of old stuff lying around.
Admit it, it’s yours isn’t it!
It is now, and anyone who tries to get it of me will get it up em and they don't like it up em
Google tells me it's a number 5 Mk1. This particular one made by Wilkinson Sword
Presume it went with the Lee Enfield?
I assume it did. It really is a rather nasty thing, guns can be used for target shooting, hunting, pest control or even just shooting at tin cans while knives can have many uses whatever they're designed purpose but this thing has only one use, it doesn't even have much of a useful edge on it and Steve kept every blade in the house sharp. This was was made only for killing other people up close. As I say it's actually a horrible thing.
I know in Rots there was hand to hand fighting between 46 Commando and the 12. S.S. Panzer-Division Hitlerjugend. Whether or not this was ever used I don't know but it would probably have been fitted as the final German troops were cleared from the village on the night of 11th June.
These are manuals from his training and his own handwritten notebook from Commando training at Achnacarry and were all in the mouse eaten box of books
Is the "Machine Gunners Handbook" akin to "Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance"?
I think it's more an alternative, if the metaphysics of quality don't provide the solution blast the shit out of it with a Vicker's machine gun.
It may have originally belonged to his father in law. It's got the handwritten date of 1917 in it and was published in 1916. I've got some useful tips on sniping from his notes though, for example be careful of things like mist or lose sand around your firing position as the escaping gas from the rifle is enough to disturb them and give your position away.
Mind you I've seen the films so I already know the snipers always in the church tower
For anyone who might be wondering where I can put all his stuff well Steve had that covered. One of my favourite things in the garage was this.
That's a lovely cupboard, are you going to restore it?
And what are you going to do with the military stuff, I don't know if the IWM or similar would be interested?
Agree, the cup board's lovely - complete with appropriate sticker, too!
What's the vertical slot between the bottom doors?
What’s the vertical slot between the bottom doors
It's an arrowslit.
Slits at top and bottom are likely to be for ventilation; I would guess cupboard was originally intended for food storage.
Slits at top and bottom are likely to be for ventilation; I would guess cupboard was originally intended for food storage.
Yes. That's a 1950s kitchenette. Pre home fridges. When I was a kid you would always find them repurposed as tool cupboards in somebody's dad's garage.
May be worth a bit now as retro-chique
@mogrim When we are through all this I'll look for a home for it all. I believe there is still a small museum in Rots where I would really like it to go if they want it and can keep it all together. Steve was made a citizen of honour by the commune when he returned there a couple of years ago and he was very proud of his Légion d'Honneur. It's hard for us to realise just how much the liberation meant to the local population and their enduring appreciation and gratitude for those who risked and gave their lives to achieve it. It would be nice for these things to be back there where they really mean something to the local community.
@fadda the slot is a grill for ventilation, I expect at the time this was made fridges were not found in many kitchens.
This may have been in the garage when Steve and Joan moved in. They didn't move there until 1982 and by then the house had a fitted kitchen.They could have brought it with them or it might have been left by Nellie and Bill who lived there before. Funnily enough I have many of Steve's things in my downstairs loo where I also have a whole shelf of books in the form of bound part works from the early 20th century which belonged to Bill and which Nellie gave me when he died. I've had them for nearly 40 years and now they have been joined by stuff from the same house. I hope whoever ends up living there realises they are only looking after their possessions for me 😊
Another map this morning. Probably a little rarer than the 1" maps he had, this is a German one of Caen from 1941 and I don't think he bought it in a shop.
And Steve being Steve he was always going to find another use for it, in this case he seems to have been calculating his pay on the back of it.
Strange, seen plenty of maps & related objects in museums and they're just that- an object that had a purpose. Seeing the notes written on the map actually brings home the fact they were used by real people.
Another thank you from me for this thread, having an absolute shitshow of a working day and I've needed to have another flick through to try and get my composure and especially my perspective back 🙏
Know a decent chap who restores old record players like that.
Owner of ‘Static records’ in Wigan. He might be interested if you want sell it.
Oh, what memories. At the time of the miners strike my brother and I were 15 or 16, so coming up for GCSE's.
So, my father, a school headmaster, and my mother a school teacher, was not going to let us miss any school homework time, oh no, he bought and set up 2 of those camping gaz lights, much safer than candles he said.
Funny thing is, I still have those lamps, last used when camping at a recent Eroica Britannia event!!!
I'd be happy to let anyone who would restore it have it oreetmon, I might contact them and see if they'd like it, be nice if it ended up with someone who'd appreciate it
drnosh I've not used one since I was in the scouts, nearly 40 years ago but I can still hear it in my head!
Today seems a good day to finish this and I've a few bits that I think are appropriate for the day.
This was in the box of books with the map of Caen and probably sat in that box in the garage for the last 38 years.
And two photos taken 75 years apart
And something else not from the garage,these were in a suitcase in the house, but something else that says what's really important about today, not a celebration of victory but and end to the pain and grief of war, a chance to build normal lives again.
Edna was Joan's cousin, she must have kept these all her life and left them to Joan when she died. A letter from radio mechanic Joseph Appleyard to Edna after spending time with her in London and the letter Edna received confirming a few months later he was missing presumed dead and the poem she wrote in his honour.
Steve wouldn't have been celebrating a victory today he'd of been remembering the 69 members of 46 Commando that never came home and all those that passed in the years that followed. There were just 4 of them left when he died . He was quietly proud of what he'd been part of but I think he'd of told you it was the French and Dutch who really understood what today was really about. He was very proud of his Dutch Liberation Medal and Legion d'Honneur.
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Again, nothing useful to add except this has been one of the best threads ever, thanks for taking the trouble to share.
avdave2 Thank you so much for this thread and for sharing these memories and momentos of Steve. As you say, a very fitting end to this thread. Very moving and poignant.
We should be proud of Steve and his life and you should give yourself a big slap on the back for your involvement in sharing it with us in such a classy way.
Humbled by the man this thread is dedicated to.
This has been awesome.
I do hope a museum is interested in the records as they should be on display.
cracking thread
Mind you I’ve seen the films so I already know the snipers always in the church tower
Nowadays the sniper will be laying on the floor and you'll not see them unless you happen to tread on them.
A great thread looking at hoarding through the ages.
Another one just wanting to say thank you so much. To you. Dave, for the fascinating thread, and the way you've shared this, and also to Steve, and the countless others who did their bit, and more.
As you say, not a day for celebrating, but a sober reflection, huge gratitude, and a fervent wish that some lessons will stay learned.
Thank you
Dave, your posts have been a real pleasure and some of the photos brought back memories of my Dad.
The military items have a real resonance today.
I'm sure that Steve would have been pleased with how you've told his story.
As you and others have said, it's an appropriate day to end the thread; quiet reflection for Steve and so many others.
Thanks.
as mentioned above this has been a great thread. All good things come to an end but I can't be the only one that's disappointed theres no new stuff going to be added tomorrow.
thanks for taking the time to share.
A shame the thread is coming to an end, but thanks for sharing this with us.
A marvellous thread about a marvellous man and his garage.
You are a star, Dave, for the friend you clearly were to him while he was alive, and for the way you've shared him with us through these pictures.