When and where might my uncle John Beattie have got this photo badge?

[McGroger]

The badge below is about 1.3 inches in diameter and features a picture of my uncle, Richard John Beattie (1920-1980). Uncle Jack never married, his life somewhat destroyed (mentally/emotionally) by his WW2 experience. I find it hard to tell his age in the photo, doubting that he could have looked so fresh-faced and bright-eyed after the war. When I knew him - late 1950s until his death - he always looked old (but I was very young).

Jack lived in Newcastle (Australia) most of his life, with a brief period in Sydney after the war, before returning to Newcastle in the 1950s.

Any ideas as to his age in the photo?  Or of where and when or for what purpose such badges were produced? (And, as always, if you wish to have a play with it, please do.)

Cheers, Peter.

[Thornwood]

From the hairstyle and the tie and collar I would say it was taken in the 50s. He has lines from the corners of his eyes which I think makes him mid to late thirties.
No idea about why the badge was made but sure someone out there will.

[Treetotal]

I think it's a photo button and I think he would be in his late 40s early 50s.
Carol

[jim1]

Button photos had been around a long time when this was taken, first appearing in the 1890's.
I would agree he looks in his 30's.

[McGroger]

Thornwood and Carol, and Jim,
 
Thanks very much for your suggestions.

Thornbill, you may be right about the 1950s. Because I’d never known him looking so young I thought it must have been even earlier, but he was only in his late twenties when he got out of the army and it may have been within the next five years that the photo was taken. He may have aged a lot from the time he left the army until the late fifties, which was when my own awareness of him would have been starting to form.

From the early 1950s, Uncle Jack lived in Newcastle with his mother until she died in 1971. His last few years he lived with my family, my parents and me, a couple of suburbs away.

Sadly, Carol, all the time I knew him he looked older than his age, much older than his sister (my mother) who was five years older than Jack. In my first memories of him, when we visited grandma, his hair was receding, his face (I realised later as I grew up) was alcohol ravaged. Unfortunately I don’t have other photos of him (that I’ve found anyway).

Missing from the badge/button is a wire clip which long ago rusted and fell off - you can just see the holes it fitted into on the back. I have a vague recollection (or my mind could be making it up) that for a period of time at some tourist places you could buy such things. (?)

And, Jim, thanks very much for your expert input. (I was about to post this and go to bed - way past time - when I saw your post.)

Thanks again all of you, for your interest in and thoughts on this topic.

Cheers, Peter.

[Scribble1952]

I would agree with 1950s

Looks like a Teddy Boy Hairstyle.

[McGroger]

Thanks very much, Scribble. Cheers, Peter.