Offered on Ebay in the first half of 2006.

Both items illustrated on this page were offered for sale as Primrose League artefacts, this it would seem based on the motto, but they relate to the South African Imperial Light Horse who were raised in Johannesburg (Transvaal) on the 21.09.1899 for the Anglo-Boer War (first muster in Pietermaritzburg).
When South Africa became a republic in 1964 the badge had to change. The Royal Standard (viewer's left) became the national flag of South Africa. The Union Flag (viewer's right) became a horizontal bicolour (but in one colour metal) representing what is not, at this moment in time, known, it is not the Transvaal flag. The scroll at the base of the flags until 1965 read 'Imperium et Libertas', and this changed to 'Patria et Libertas'.

The first use of 'Imperium et Libertas' (Empire and Liberty) would seem to be attributed to Marcus Tullius Cicero, who was born on 3rd January 106 BC and was murdered on 7th December 43 BC.

Offered on Ebay August 2006.

My sincere thanks go to Frank Setchfield and his colleagues of the Badge Collectors Circle for solving this one.

Writers collection. Maker: Thomas Fattorini, Regent St., Birmingham. Both measure 19mm.

These badges, especially the one illustrated second left, have been offer for sale as a Primrose League issue and more commonly as Masonic.
They are prolific in there appearance and therefore must have been issued by a large organization. The 'League' fits this bill, but was discounted immediately. Freemasonry even in it's 'hay day' was never large enough to account for the vast quantities of these Forget-me-not badges encountered.
Even with the clues offered by the initials on some of the badges no progress was made as to the issuer, so the problem was passed to Mr. Setchfield, who commented that this was a long time outstanding query.

Offered on Ebay.

A recent communiqué (Dec. 2007) from Mr. Setchfield has enabled this matter to be put to rest. These badges were issued by the Old People's Welfare Committee (OPWC), which in 1944 changed it's name to National Old People's Welfare Committee (NOPWC) and now is known as Age Concern. The period of use of these badges would seem to be the 1940's to the 1970's, but could have well stayed in use up to the present day. Judging by what is stated on the Stilton Village (Cambridgeshire) Website below, they will be using these badges (as viewed April 2009).

Details of the history of the NOPWC / Age Concern can be found using the following link:-
http://www.ageconcern.org.uk/AgeConcern/Documents/Complete_History_of_Age_Concern.pdf

Sadly it would seem that badges similar to these are currently being manufactured and sold as Masonic --- Caveat emptor !

The badge to the left has turned up for sale many times, over many years, as a Primrose League badge. I was always suspicious of this attribution, but could make no comments as the issuer was unknown to me. The offer for sale recently (Sept. 2008) of the badge pictured right changed matters completely. The Star of David pointed to a Jewish connection so, after a little thought, Primrose Jewish Youth Club was punched into a search engine and BINGO!
This sports and social club was founded in 1947 for young Jewish boys and young men (plus a very few girls) in Britain struggling to make it on their own after release from the war time camps.

17th September 2008. John R.P.King.