SOME UNUSUAL RAILWAY LAPEL BADGES

1895 - 1950'S

Richard

For 50 years railway service. My grandfather was awarded this silver & enamel medallion badge having joined the LB&SCR c1895. He finally retired in 1948 having served at the same station continuously for all those years rising from shunter through station porter to become the station Foreman. Throughout much of his railway career he was a supporter of the Trade Union and was awarded the NUR silver lapel badge after thirty years as a member.

During WW2, railway employees were considered to be important enough to ensure that the transport would keep running that they were placed into the "Reserved Occupation" category which meant that they would not get called up for Military service. To identify this fact, they were each issued with a brass & enamel oval lapel badge similar to the one shown here. Each of the badges of the four Railway Companies were similar in shape, but each Company had their own initals underneath the blue enamel strip (Southern Railway in this case) and a different locomotive above. Each badge had a serial number stamped on the back which was registered at headquarters so that the owner could be identified.

The four Railway Companies (LB&SCR, L&SWR, L&NER and the GWR) provided buldings throughout the UK where sick or injured staff could convalesce & recuperate. Staff paid a few pence into a fund each week and if the necessity arose, could then travel to one of these homes to recover. I believe that the lapel badges were issued to anyone who made use of these facilities.

The final picture shows an item which I doubt if many people have ever seen. It is of course a station clock one of which was always visible either on the wall of the Station entrance hall or on the booking Office wall. the difference here is what is showing on the enamel face. Originally each station clock had the Company initials and an identifying number on the enamel face, but in later years these identities had all disappeared.