Today we are looking at an item found under floorboards – another chance to plug a favourite web site at http://www.wallwork.me.uk/floorboards.html – but that site is not connected with Market Lavington or Easterton.
Today’s item is, however for it was found during renovations at the former Volunteer Arms in the 1970s.
It’s a rather battered box of matches of the wax variety. Somebody, at some long distant time, has tried to mend the box with sellotape – useful stuff, of course, but not for use on precious items. The matches were of a variety called Springflap. This name referred to the box described on http://www.phillumeny.com/ as ‘a type of matchbox where, when the inner box is pulled from the outer box with one open end, and a flap energised by an elastic band flips out such that the inner box can be returned by flipping back the flap.’
The back of the box is decorated with a picture which looks to be of a Dutch scene.
It’s a real shame about the sellotape!
The matches themselves are still with the box. They are wax matches – almost like miniature candles with a striking head.
We are not experts on matches but we think these date from the mid-20th century.