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General => The Common Room => Topic started by: RobbieCE on Friday 04 November 22 20:08 GMT (UK)

Title: Does anyone recognise this uniform?
Post by: RobbieCE on Friday 04 November 22 20:08 GMT (UK)
Hi everyone, this is a picture of my great aunty thought to be taken during the second world war era. Does anybody recognise the uniform she is wearing?

Thanks.
Title: Re: Does anyone recognise this uniform?
Post by: Viktoria on Friday 04 November 22 22:47 GMT (UK)
Sorry but the photograph is very large and mostly a face, no buttons etc to help with identification.
Viktoria.
Title: Re: Does anyone recognise this uniform?
Post by: Kiltpin on Saturday 05 November 22 00:17 GMT (UK)
It doesn't look much like a uniform to me. 

Regards 

Chas
Title: Re: Does anyone recognise this uniform?
Post by: Ruskie on Saturday 05 November 22 03:32 GMT (UK)
It doesn't look much like a uniform to me. 

Regards 

Chas

That’s what I thought when I first saw the photo.

All ladies’ WW2 uniforms I looked at had a tie and a jacket with lapels. I noticed the “pin” on this beret and wonder if that is the reason the OP thought this was a uniform. The headwear I saw wasn’t like this floppy style of beret.

There is some sheen on the image though, so some detail may be  lost. A better picture, particularly of the pin showing more detail if possible might be helpful. Pin could easily be a decorative brooch.

I suppose it could be a uniform of some sort but unrelated to wartime service.
Title: Re: Does anyone recognise this uniform?
Post by: Rosinish on Saturday 05 November 22 06:31 GMT (UK)
It would also be helpful to know the age of your g/aunt (YoB), what County & Country she lived in which may help?...

The cap badge could be Red Cross?

Annie
Title: Re: Does anyone recognise this uniform?
Post by: Kiltpin on Saturday 05 November 22 07:19 GMT (UK)
It would also be helpful to know the age of your g/aunt (YoB), what County & Country she lived in which may help?...

The cap badge could be Red Cross?

Annie
 

I was a member and officer of the British Red Cross Society for almost 30 years. The red enamel crosses are quite distinctive - I don't see them there. 

Regards 

Chas
Title: Re: Does anyone recognise this uniform?
Post by: MaecW on Saturday 05 November 22 11:33 GMT (UK)
If this is the Ivy M Bladen born 1927 in Newport, Mon., then she would have been too young for service in most of WW2. As Ruskie observed service uniforms usually included ties, except for wear in hot climates ( India, Egypt ??).
The two collars do seem to have badges, but are they the same ?
I did wonder about Girl Guides, but they wore a broad tie, would any other girls' organization suit ?

Afterthought : Land Girls or similar ?
Title: Re: Does anyone recognise this uniform?
Post by: RobbieCE on Saturday 05 November 22 12:18 GMT (UK)
If this is the Ivy M Bladen born 1927 in Newport, Mon., then she would have been too young for service in most of WW2. As Ruskie observed service uniforms usually included ties, except for wear in hot climates ( India, Egypt ??).
The two collars do seem to have badges, but are they the same ?
I did wonder about Girl Guides, but they wore a broad tie, would any other girls' organization suit ?

Afterthought : Land Girls or similar ?

Yes that is the correct Ivy M Bladen. It is thought by other family members that she was part of the WLA but I haven't been able to find any concrete evidence of that. I think from the responses from everyone else regarding the clothing and as you pointed out the age thing, this is possible just a portrait with a broach on her beret, probably taken after the war.

Thanks everyone for the replies.
Title: Re: Does anyone recognise this uniform?
Post by: Roobarb on Saturday 05 November 22 13:09 GMT (UK)
Here's a closeup of the badge/brooch
Title: Re: Does anyone recognise this uniform?
Post by: garden genie on Saturday 05 November 22 16:47 GMT (UK)
If she was only 12 at the outbreak of war then is this not just her school uniform? Secondary schools had uniforms then didn't they?
Title: Re: Does anyone recognise this uniform?
Post by: John915 on Saturday 05 November 22 19:55 GMT (UK)
Good evening,

I am no expert but looking at her I would say she is early to mid twenties in the photo. So post war and up to 1950ish.

John915

Added; Is a clippy a possibility?
Title: Re: Does anyone recognise this uniform?
Post by: Ruskie on Sunday 06 November 22 00:23 GMT (UK)
I think her age is difficult to determine. I would have guessed around 18 years old, but could easily be slightly younger or a few years older.

Doesn’t look much like a badge on her beret does it Roobarb? No lettering or identifiable emblem. Not even sure a school uniform would have something like that on a beret would it? Maybe the cross shape is significant, though that could be decorative pearls or stones as it looks quite brooch like I think.

On the original photo is there anything where the pale spots on the lapels are?
Title: Re: Does anyone recognise this uniform?
Post by: tonepad on Sunday 06 November 22 06:47 GMT (UK)
Looks similar to this Glasgow Clippie 1960s:

https://www.glasgowtimes.co.uk/news/15215077.timespast-remembering-glasgows-army-of-clippies/#gallery4


Tony
Title: Re: Does anyone recognise this uniform?
Post by: MaecW on Sunday 06 November 22 10:38 GMT (UK)
I think John915 and tonepad may have it. The hat does look like a beret-style with a badge.
According to FreeBMD Ivy married in Pontypool in 1946, so should we be looking for bus conductors' uniform in that general area ? Possibly Cardiff ?
Title: Re: Does anyone recognise this uniform?
Post by: Jebber on Sunday 06 November 22 12:59 GMT (UK)
I agree she looks to be a clippie. Each bus company would have had their own uniform and badges. The hat she is wearing is the same as that worn by the London clippie of that era, only the badge is different
Title: Re: Does anyone recognise this uniform?
Post by: Roobarb on Sunday 06 November 22 13:27 GMT (UK)

On the original photo is there anything where the pale spots on the lapels are?

This is a close up of one of them, not very distinct. The other one is hardly visible. The only thing it looks like to me is a cat's head, probably unlikely.  :D
Title: Re: Does anyone recognise this uniform?
Post by: Ruskie on Sunday 06 November 22 23:55 GMT (UK)
I did see the pale bits but originally thought they were shine from the surface of the photo, but I suppose they could a matching pair of “something” on her lapels. I was hoping that the OP could give us a better scan.
Title: Re: Does anyone recognise this uniform?
Post by: John915 on Monday 07 November 22 00:25 GMT (UK)
Good morning,

I keep looking at her hat and the shiny bit in her hair. Could that actually be the peak on her hat which is being worn at a jaunty angle. The "badge" could then be button on the side of the hat.

John915
Title: Re: Does anyone recognise this uniform?
Post by: Ruskie on Monday 07 November 22 02:48 GMT (UK)
I was curious about that too John, but couldn’t guess what it might be.  :-\ There looks to be some hair there, so unsure if it is a peak. The beret looks to be one of those soft and floppy ones - wouldn’t a cap with a peak usually have a band of some sort to stabilise it and hold the weight of the peak?

I expect garden genie’s reply at #9 is probably the most logical and she would’ve been too young to have participated in anything war related.
Title: Re: Does anyone recognise this uniform?
Post by: John915 on Tuesday 08 November 22 20:58 GMT (UK)
Good evening,


Yes that is the correct Ivy M Bladen. It is thought by other family members that she was part of the WLA but I haven't been able to find any concrete evidence of that. I think from the responses from everyone else regarding the clothing and as you pointed out the age thing, this is possible just a portrait with a broach on her beret, probably taken after the war.

Thanks everyone for the replies.

If she was 12 at the start of the war then she couldn't have served in the land army. You had to be a single lady aged 20 to 30. My mum was unable to join the land army for that very reason.

John915

Title: Re: Does anyone recognise this uniform?
Post by: Rosinish on Wednesday 09 November 22 01:49 GMT (UK)
This may not be much help but I was in the Girls Brigade (1960s) & wore a beret which looks like the one in the photo...might it be something similar 20(ish) yrs earlier?

The photo is far too large & blurry to make things out, it needs to be reduced by maybe 50%?

Annie
Title: Re: Does anyone recognise this uniform?
Post by: GeoffCaulton on Wednesday 09 November 22 21:13 GMT (UK)
The all female Mechanised Transport Corps wore a badge consisting of a tyre and two crossed spanners.
Your Aunt looks like a girl in her late teens wearing the bronze MTC badge on her hat. She is either in the MTC or the MTCA ( Auxiliary) which was the branch for girls too young to join the MTC proper. Both badges are similar to look at. That is what I can see.
Geoff