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Holdall circa 1840s.
KO0761/04
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Love and War - Sweetheart Items in the Museum's
CollectionAs well as the medals, weapons and uniforms the
museum's rich collections include some very personal items sent from a
soldier to his loved one, his sweetheart, his girlfriend, his wife but
also included some of those items given to sisters, children and mothers.
The collection of sweetheart items is dominated by badges and brooches,
and silk or embroidered postcards sent home during the First World War,
but there are also some other items, the oldest of which is known to date
back to the 1840s!
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This holdall, which is on
permanent display in the King's Own Museum, dates from the 1840s and
was probably made by a soldier's wife or sweetheart. Pieces of
fabric and sewn together and pockets could be used to keep small items
safely. The design includes two medals and love heart. The
holdall was the property of Private Vaughan, who was born in Worcester
and enlisted into the regiment on 3rd January 1843 at the age of 20
years in Gloucester. Charles Vaughan was discharged 'unfit for
further service' in June 1853.
Accession Number KO0761/04 |
 
These two heart shaped pin cushions are typical of items produced
by soldiers for their loved ones. Whilst many sweetheart items were
purchased from canteens and shops pin cushions were often made by
soldiers, especially those recovering from wounds in hospital. The
cushion on the left was sent home to his sister by Private Arthur Pipe,
number 22360 of the 11th Battalion, King's Own Royal Lancaster Regiment.
Private Pipe was killed in action on 26th November 1917 and has no known
grave and is commemorated on the Cambrai Memorial, Louverual, France.
Accession Numbers: KO1264/01 and KO2490/215
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