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This ambulance driver or attendant ski cap recently sold at auction for £260 (plus usual auction house fees on top). Examples in good condition are getting scarce and this no doubt was a driver (no pun intended) of the price achieved. It was sold with an accompanying L.A.A.S. (London Auxiliary Ambulance Service) badge but whether they were originally together is unknown but the LAAS certainly wore this type of cap. The auction described the cap as "WW2 Female Ambulance Drivers Cap, fine blue wool female pattern cap as worn by female ambulance drivers during WW2. Interior with black cloth lining. Cap is accompanied by an embroidered cap insignia for the London Auxiliary Ambulance Service (L.A.A.S)."
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Area titles are some of the most interesting pieces of insignia issued to Civil Defence workers during the second world war. Within CD Region 5 - London - there were dozens of local authorities that issued area titles. Most of the Metropolitan Boroughs and Boroughs issued titles with their name - e.g. Lewisham or Wembley, some Urban Districts added UD after the name. Understanding the various naming of local authorities is complicated (this author is still currently unsure what the difference between a 'borough' and "metropolitan borough" is...) London was designated as Civil Defence Region No. 5 (of 12 across England, Scotland and Wales). It was split into nine groups –
Key MB – Metropolitan Borough (28 administrative subdivisions of the County of London plus City of London) UD – Urban District (local government district that covered an urbanised area. Urban districts had an elected urban district council (UDC), which shared local government responsibilities with a county council) B – Borough CB – County Borough (independent of county council) RD – Rural District (authority over matters such as local planning, council housing, and playgrounds and cemeteries. Matters such as education and major roads were the responsibility of the county council) Group 1 Chelsea MB, Fulham MB, Hammersmith MB, Kensington MB, City of Westminster Group 2 Hampstead MB, Islington MB, Paddington MB, St. Marylebone MB, St. Pancras MB, Stoke Newington MB Group 3 City of London, Bethnal Green MB, Finsbury MB, Hackney MB, Holborn MB, Poplar MB, Shoreditch MB, Stepney MB Group 4 Bermondsey MB, Deptford MB, Greenwich MB, Lewisham MB, Woolwich MB Group 5 Battersea MB, Camberwell MB, Lambeth MB, Southwark MB, Wandsworth MB Group 6 - Sub-Group A Edmonton B, Hornsey B, Southgate B, Tottenham B, Wood Green B, Cheshunt UD, East Barnet UD, Enfield UD Group 6 - Sub-Group B Finchley B, Hendon B, Barnet UD, Friern Barnet UD, Potters Bar UD, Elstree RD Group 6 - Sub-Group C Acton B, Ealing B, Southall B, Wembley B, Willesden B, Bushey UD, Harrow UD, Ruislip-Northwood UD, Uxbridge UD Group 6 - Sub-Group D Brentford & Chiswick B, Heston & Isleworth B, Twickenham B, Feltham B, Hayes & Harlington UD, Staines UD, Sunbury-on-Thames UD, Yiewsley & West Drayton UD Group 7 (Essex) East Ham CB, West Ham CB, Barking B, Chingford B, Dagenham B, Ilford B, Leyton B, Walthamstow B, Wanstead & Woodford B, Chigwell UD, Waltham Holy Cross UD Group 8 (Kent) Beckenham B, Bexley B, Bromley B, Erith B, Chislehurst & Sidcup UD, Crayford UD, Orpington UD, Penge UD Group 9 (Surrey) Barnes B, Epsom & Ewell B, Kingston-upon-Thames B, Malden & Coombe B, Richmond B, Surbiton B, Wimbledon B, Esher UD, Merton & Morden UD Group 9 sub-group Croydon CB, Beddington & Wallingford B, Mitcham B, Sutton & Cheam B, Banstead UD, Carshalton UD, Coulsdon & Purley UD
A Lucas-made bicycle lamp with hooded light with an uncommon style of clamp attachment. Most bicycles of the period had a lamp holder on the front of the bike onto which a lamp could be slid on. For bikes without this, the below Lucas lamp has an integral clamp for fixing to the bike's frame.
An interesting little piece of air raid paper ephemera is this "Incident" postcard. Details the response to how an incident is dealt with by the Civil Defence services. Oddly, the "Wardens' Post" is connected to something called "Fire Control" (which is then connected to a "Fire Station"); I thought the "Control Centre" (i.e. a Report Centre) managed the call out from depots and fire stations.  WW2 Air Raid Incident Postcard A bronze Air Raid Warden nameplate sign with the makers details still on the reverse. Interesting to see the label still in situ and how the sign should be cleaned - by avoiding metal polish...  Bronze Air Raid Warden Nameplate Sign by Butler Jones Ltd  Bronze Air Raid Warden Nameplate Sign by Butler Jones Ltd (Rear)  Bronze Air Raid Warden Nameplate Sign by Butler Jones Ltd (Label Detail) |
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