Many will have heard recordings of the sirens used during World War II.
They were used to alert the public to air raids so they could take cover including in the ‘Anderson Shelter’ built at Griffin Park.
But rattles were used too and where better to have used this example than near to Griffin Park.
Dave used this in the heat of footballing combat from 1955!
In Dave’s own words;
‘The wartime ARP (Air Raid Patrol) Rattle that I repainted, as a Bees one.
An uncle, a very keen fan, gave it to me around 1955. He became a regular Brentford supporter, which included watching two prewar Reserve matches at Luton.
I used it in my early supporting days, including one game at Watford, when, in the stand, I accidentally hit a Watford fan’s head!’
Dave’s words tell the story of what this is and how he came to have it and then of course use it – in archive language that is the provenance of the rattle or object.
But the condition of this is so good that we also have the final part of the provenance jigsaw!
The rattle is dated, 1939, and marked, ‘ARP’ and we know who made it, and when and what it was used for – everything is evidenced.
It is easy to see that the wood is full of woodworm and a bit fluffy at the edges, hardly surprising given that it was used to attack away fans!
In the same way as we have had to mend several hings damaged while the archive was in club custody, we have gone to a specialist called a conservator to render the woodworm safe and to apply wood hardening technique to help preserve the item!
Our conservator, Stuart, (he would usually be restoring fine art paintwork) loved the object so much and the story it told that he has donated his craft to BU so we have saved £300.
Stuart had one final story which you will love! On a working holiday meeting clients in in N Carolina to arrange transatlantic transportation of new work, Stuart found himself talking to a Methodist minister in a small local shop, ‘And where do you come from, Stuart’, he asked, and Stuart replied, ‘West London’ and the Methodist minister said, ‘so you must support Brentford then’!
We have got more good news about the BU BFC archive coming soon.
Don Tanswell
BU Secretary