Do you know anything about this unknown military object

[River Tyne Lass]

I was at Whitley Bay library this morning.  Until Saturday lunchtime there is a WW1 exhibit on show.  This was also there a while back but now there are new objects on display.

The lady whose exhibition this belongs to has given me permission to post a photo of one of her exhibits.  This is a small object in the form of a soldier which she says she found in the garden of her former home!!  She thinks this object may date back to the Boer War.  Does any one have any thoughts on this.  I have promised to let her know if any one out there may know anything about this little object.  Any ideas will be most appreciated.  Thank you.

[MaxD]

Google images "Toy Boer War Soldier" to find dozens of lookalikes!

MaxD

[River Tyne Lass]

Thanks for this speedy reply MaxD.  I have googled and see coloured soldiers but this one is just plain lead.  So do you think this might be a child's toy soldier dating around the Boer War? Or could this have been made later do you think?   I will email the lady tonight about this.

It is very unusual to find something like this in your garden, as she did.

[Ruskie]

I saw some plain lead (unpainted) ones via a google search. I believe you can paint lead soldiers so if this one was originally painted it may have rubbed off.

I disagree that finding something like this in your garden is unusual - I think it would be a fairly 'normal' place to find a child's toy. It could have been discarded as rubbish and buried, or perhaps the child played 'soldiers' in the dirt, as I did with cars (great fun making roads through the garden beds) and lost this toy.

Regarding the age of the toy - I think it would be difficult to guess, as up until fairly recently they were still making lead soldiers from all imaginable past conflicts. I think there are still men (and it will almost exclusively be men) who collect lead soldiers so a bit of googling will probably find a club dedicated to this. Maybe they will be able to suggest a specific war and a date for this little chap.

Good luck.

[MaxD]

My suggestion would be that she takes it to a shop dealing in miniature models.  It looks like a model of a Boer War war soldier but whether it was made at the time or up to 1966 when lead was banned for soldiers or whether it was originally painted are really only things an expert can tell by looking at the object itself.

MaxD

Agree with Ruskie!

[Ruskie]

I've just had a look at the address. Houses possibly 1930s? 

(Of course that doesn't mean that the soldier is of the same era though).

[River Tyne Lass]

Thank you Ruskie and MaxD for your reply answers.  I will pass on all this to the lady concerned.  I know she will really appreciate this.

I do concede that you are right in disagreeing with my comment that finding such an object in the garden is unusual.   It is just she is the first person I know personally who has ever found a little 'treasure' in her garden.  I only seem to find worms and weeds.  I think it is quite serendipitous in her case, that she is very interested in war history and comes across this intriguing little item in the lawn.

I think this sounds like very good advice and I will let her know that you think she should head along to a model shop and let an model expert have a look at this. Or contact a club. I do hope that it turns out to be as she hopes - around Boer War time.

[River Tyne Lass]

Yes, I agree that the houses are probably around 1930s or 1940s perhaps.  They are not very old.  If the object is from Boer War time perhaps this just sank in the soil long prior to housing being built?

[JenB]

It is just she is the first person I know personally who has ever found a little 'treasure' in her garden.

My husband dug up an old tuning fork in our suburban garden in West London many years ago.
He cleaned it up and, being a musician, put it to good use on many occasions! 

(Sorry - I know it's off topic)