Hi All, has anyone ever come across a ditty box without a lock before. My great grandfather’s ditty box is unmistakably a ditty box because although some of the inside has been removed, you can still see where the pencil/pen tray went and the letter/photo rack in the lid used to sit. It also has the named brass plate but no key hole for a lock or any sign that a hole has been filled in or the wood replaced; it all looks original. All the other ditty boxes I have seen have come with a lock and a key hole. Any information greatly received. Thanks.
I have an affinity for boxes and have never seen one without a lock, no matter what it was for. Intriguing
Yes I’ve never seen one like this either. I’ve been doing some digging and it appears that he was a petty officer telegraphist in the Royal Navy. In not sure if this makes any difference.
Thanks for the idea Shwikman, but I think it’s definitely a ditty box as it has all the markings of one ie. the pen tray and the correspondence holder in the lid; everything a sailor would need at sea.
"Ditty box" is a new term to me. I can look it up, but if anybody wants to explain, that would be great.
I haven't looked it up, but living with a sailboat guy, I know a ditty BAG is to hold all your sailor-y stuff. Or that's how I think of it. The sailboat guy might be appalled at how little I have learned over the years.
Could it have had leather straps round it originally? There are some faint marks on the front that look as if there were?
May I suggest you check with the crew that works here: http://www.clipper-maritime-antiques.co.uk They should be able to help you as to the lock/no lock question. They do show a Ditty Box on their site w/no lock, though it looks more like something you would keep at home. Much less sturdy than yours.
Maybe he rode a bicycle to work and kept it in the box in the office. In any case it is certainly a box with or without the ditty.
So a ditty box is a box that a sailor in the British Royal Navy would have to keep valuables and personal belonging in such as cigars, cigarettes, postcards and letters from loved one. I’ve seen many of these with locks but never one without and the irony is that there was a culture of absolute trust on these ships so no one ever locked their ditty boxes even if they did have a lock and key. Later these boxes became ditty bags which were much cheaper to produce. My box is from around the early 1900s and was used by my great Grandfather throughout the First World War.
Thanks very much, @Rabid Collector -- I had only done some superficial searches of the term and am glad to have some extra information.
My pleasure. They are interesting items as each one is unique and personal to the individual who owned it even though they all look very similar
My Father served in the Royal Navy for 26yrs ..including the war years .. he had a ditty box and when I asked my mum what was in it she said "Bits and Pieces and mind your own business " !!! ... LOL .. Joy.
