The Tin Box Detectorist

FIRST PUBLISHED IN 2012 BUT THAT POST IS NOW UNAVAILABLE

I sometimes wish that my metal detector was as good at finding Celtic gold staters as I am at attracting old tin boxes. I’ve just added a new one to my growing collection.

I don’t know the name for a collector of vintage tins, although Mrs. John has suggested one or two quite imaginative and ultra-descriptive ones. I would willingly share them with the etymological curious amongst my readers. Unfortunately they are not fit for general publication.

When I worked down a coal mine in County Durham, I always carried a bright red OXO ‘bait’ tin. So did my Dad and nearly everyone else. These commodious containers made ideal lunch boxes and held bread and jam sandwiches or, on special occasions, dripping sandwiches and sometimes biscuits – all lovingly packed by me Ma.

They were also a good line defence in thwarting the enterprising mice that frequented the many lay-bys and walkways. Those few miners without tins used to tie their paper-wrapped sandwiches to a string suspended from the middle of a girder in a vain effort to thwart the cheeky rodents. Seldom did it work.

Collecting History

When I amass old tins, I am collecting history. Those boxes used to store valuable and perishable items in days gone by are often a constant reminder of my life and still have a future. I don’t. Last week Mrs John sorted and gave way many of my tools and bits and pieces. Assorted screws, small nuts and bolts were kept in Capstan and Old Holborn baccy tins. In retrospect the tins were probably worth more than the contents.

I used to dabble in black and white photography, purchased film stock in 30 metre lengths and cut 36 or 24 rolls from a loader. I still have many of those tin boxes. They were never discarded and further use could also be made of them. Today we live in a throwaway society.

Rechabites

I have many boxes and some have been shown on previous occasions in this blog. Sometimes I browse on the market and buy what takes my fancy … like last week. The lid of the box was quite worn and not very colourful, but I was intrigued by the name Rechabites and had to find out more. I paid the princely sum of 50 pence and it was mine.

The Independent Order of Rechabites was a friendly society founded in 1835 and part of the Temperance movement devoted to promote abstention from alcohol. They take their name name from a Biblical tribe of people who were ‘commanded to drink no wine’ by their leader. Find out more by clicking on the link. INDEPENDENT ORDER of RECHABITES

A Sweet Tin

Although the Order began in England, there were branches started in America and Australia. It must have been tough for them in the latter. The Rechabites in Australia were used to the frontier nature of the times, which meant that hard drinking, ‘shady’ business activities, gambling and prostitution were the norm.

You can see that the tin is a centenary issue and embossed with the legend 1835 -1935, Independent Order of Rechabites. What did the tin originally contain? Sweets, of course.

Why should Rowntree be celebrating 100 years of the Rechabite Order? The answer must lie in the fact that the family were known as teetotal Quakers, so it all made sense! At its peak Rowntree’s was a town within a town (York) employing 14,000 people. I wonder if it was a condition that to work in the factory, they must be teetotal?

Tin Link to Metal Detecting

I will leave you with a peep at the tin I carry for when I find all those hammered coins. Although scuffed, it is largely redundant. Inside I have upholstered it with foam inserts and a coin container – just in case!. The mints were very useful until they eventually ran out! Can’t remember how it first came into my possession!

HAPPY SEARCHING AND GOOD LUCK!

---

---

Discover more from

Subscribe to get the latest posts to your email.