WWI era silver Vesta case. Garwood. KSLI, Denbigh Yeomanry and Royal Welsh Fusiliers. Walkden, Manchester.

Classic WWI era Vesta case nicely engraved

‘From B.L. & Co. LTD. Momento of War service’

‘Pte F Garwood Shrops LI 1916-19’

Complete with silver hallmarks and working hinge lid.

Upon research, we do find a Frank Garwood who enlisted into the Kings Shropshire Light Infantry before heading overseas to France with the Denbigh Yeomanry (service number 59235) and later Royal Welsh Fusiliers (service number 94507)

Burgess, Leward and Co Ltd, originally a workshop opened in the 1860s by Mr Burgess, the business became Walkden’s first textile mill. Expansion came when Mr Ledward, a Manchester textile merchant who bought cloth from the Company, became a partner. Initially there were 250 looms, which, by the late 1890s, had grown to 1500. In 1894 Burgess’s son came into the business and a dye house was added, large enough to bleach and dye the yarn spun by other mills in the area. Burgess junior was sent to Germany to learn about dyeing and returned several years later as a qualified chemist. It was at this time that the dyeing business expanded rapidly.

Franks profession is noted as a cotton warp dresser at trade he worked at all bis life.

It is noted that whilst serving with the Royal Welsh Fusiliers, he was awarded a wound stripe. This report is dated 3rd of January 1919.

Born in 1889 in Walkden to Alfred and Lydia.

An address found for Frank is found as 7 Drill Street, Walkden, Manchester.

He died in 1942.