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The Gem Tobacco Company Ltd

R

Ron Rogers

master brummie
I am trying to trace the above Tobacco Company,56 Clerkenwell Green London, I recieved a set of 1936 Olympic Games books and in the bottom of the package was a piece of cardboard with the Companies logo and an address to a WW2 POW Rfn A. McClone British prisoner of war 21909, Stalag V11B, Germany .
Question Who is/was the Gem Tobacco Company ,and why/what did they send to McClone ???

Thanks
Ron Rogers
Ex Australian Army
Note. Later posts show name is McGlone
 
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Ron Rogers said:
I am trying to trace the above Tobacco Company,56 Clerkenwell Green London, I recieved a set of 1936 Olympic Games books and in the bottom of the package was a piece of cardboard with the Companies logo and an address to a WW2 POW Rfn A. McClone British prisoner of war 21909, Stalag V11B, Germany .
Question Who is/was the Gem Tobacco Company ,and why/what did they send to McClone ???

Thanks
Ron Rogers
Ex Australian Army
Click to expand...
and also ron who as A mclone?...maybe he came from birmingham. we love a mystery on here so hopefully some of our keen members maybe able to help...
Note. Later posts show name is McGlone
lyn
 
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There is a mention in 1935 of Ernest Edward Gridley trading as Gem Tobacco Co. and a fag machine break in. In 1936 he is at 83 High St. Tooting as a tobacconist and a break in of his shop.

Grace’s gives a mention, with a question of whether it is the Richmond Cavendish Co.

Gem seems to be a form of tobacco, for example Richmond gem from Virginia and curly cut gem.
 
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February 1942, Hampshire Telegraph shows another rifleman Cecil Knowles at the same camp. Parcels were sent by the Red Cross ?

6E003E9E-F30B-47C9-9492-C3F7FB002508.jpeg
 
Astoness said:
and also ron who as A mclone?...maybe he came from birmingham. we love a mystery on here so hopefully some of our keen members maybe able to help...

lyn
Click to expand...
Sorry name is McClone
Ron

Note. Later posts show name is McGlone
 
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Bingo.
It is A McGlone
From Ancestry's list of WW2 Allied POW.

1653664652896.png
344 is the camp number. 21909 is his POW number as given in post #1. 3249718 is his regimental number. Camns is his regiment. 16 is his R.O. number (Record Office Code Number).
 
I have done a bit more digging and RO code 16 refers to the Infantry Office in Perth.
1653664948108.png
So it looks as if he might have Scottish connections. This is backed up by his regiment which is the Cameronians (Camns).

Camp number 344
1653665070924.png
 
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Thank you all for your replies and most useful information.
Now for the next bit of the mystery..
The books were sent by WX635 Pte R.J.Winch of the Australian 2/11th Battalion who was also a POW at Stalag 344
Why did he include this piece of cardboard in with books ( The books were well packed in their own book sleeve).
Also who occupied 56 Clerken Well Green during the war years.
Again thank you for your replies
Ron
 
In case it helps re the Clerkenwell Green address, I live in London and I know the Clerkenwell area, many of the buildings in the area are old but there doesn't seem to be a 56 Clerkenwell Green (unless it was re numbered) and no gap where it might have stood.

There is also a Clerkenwell Close but no 56, unless you would count the pub!
The blue door house is 55 and the numbers follow one another (no odds and evens)
Screenshot_20220528-090648_Maps.jpg

There is, however, a 56 Clerkenwell Road - this building here...
Screenshot_20220528-090936_Maps.jpg
 
This is 49 Clerkenwell Green which is the highest number - possibly the building also contained a number 56 in earlier times...
Screenshot_20220528-092042_Maps.jpg
 
The first few posts refer to McClone, but it is McGlone. Perhaps it would be better to change or note, for anyone coming new to the thread.
 
Pedrocut said:
I could not find anything above 49. Will try Clerkenwell Road.
Click to expand...
56 Clerkenwell Road appears to be part of Cavendish Mansions. (flats or apartments)

Edit: I now think that address might be 56 Cavendish Mansions, Clerkenwell Road rather than just 56 Clerkenwell Road. See post # 25
 
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For the record it seems that the British Cash and Parcel Conveyers were installers of the system in shops which travelled to and from the cashiers departments.
 
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pjmburns said:
Just as a matter of interest. Allied POW list
View attachment 170427
Click to expand...
This Soldier is Known??? to me as his son Rick Winch is a member of the Busselton RSL (British Legion) Western Australia and has donated his Fathers German POW Dog tag to the memorabilia collection. My task in the RSL is to collect and catalogue and arrange for the display of same.
Would it be possible for an occupier of 56/58 to be a clandestine organisation sending escape maps and other items to POWs

Ron
 
The 56-58 refers to Clerkenwell Road. The title Cash and Parcel Conveyers is not as you would first assume, but to a mechanical method of transportation of cash and receipts around a building. The Company installed these systems within large buildings.

www.atlasobscura.com

The Rise and Fall of the Cash Railway

During the late 19th century retail boom, shop owners were plagued by robberies at sales counters and rampant employee pilfering. As the average person...
www.atlasobscura.com www.atlasobscura.com
 
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