Mines Rescue Service Badge
Badges such as the one shown below were given to men trained by the National Coal Board in mines rescue skills. The earlier issued types of these badges have the name of the recipient stamped on their reverses, often also with the name of the pit at which they served. The central design depicts a miners in typical mid twentieth century type mines rescue equipment. Note the laminated hard hat and "Proto" (or similar) type breathing apparatus. A much scarcer and later (post mid 1980's) variety of this badge exists issued in the name of the British Coal Corporation (B.C.C.). Earlier mines rescue badges are also known from the pre-nationalisation era of the British coal mining industry. These emanate from several different coalfields.
Actual size: 26 mm diameter. Makers mark in four lines on reverse reads "Thomas Fattorini / Ltd / Regent Street / Birmingham". Also on the reverse is stamped the name of the badge's owner/recipient. In this example it "R. Routledge of Brancepeth (Colliery) in County Durham. The badge has a button hole fastener for attachment.