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« on: Thursday 23 September 10 16:01 BST (UK) »
Although much diminished, Toc H still exists today though its heyday was in the middle part of the 20th century. A community movement and charity it was made up of hundreds of branches around the UK and the Dominion. On earning branch status a Toc H unit would be issued a lamp. These lamps had to be bought so were often bought in memory of a loved one. In the early days (Toc H started in the UK in 1919) the lamps were often bought in memory of sons lost in WWI. Later they would be bought in memorial of other events too and slowly the practice died out.
As you have probably seem the memorial was on a plate attached to the storage box rather than the lamp. The lamps were made by Whipple the church furnishers and are fairly indistinguishable from each other. Other plates might also note who made the donation and when the lamp was lit for the first time (usually at a special lamplighting festival held each December at the Guild Hall or Royal Albert Hall)
If anyone requires any further information please contact me. By the way, lamps were issued to branches as a badge of status and strictly speaking belong to Toc H!
All the best