Biography

[Graye01]

I am researching fragments of information about my great grandfather. I am writing a book about him. He was an inventor and businessman. His main trade revolved around needlemaking, springs and fishing tackle but he branched out in various directions too. He was not involved in the fighting in either World War as he was exempted for doing war work and this involved making fuzes, recoil springs for navy guns, also hand grenades. I have very little information on this and this is the area where I would like to discover more.

[Larry C]

Welcome Graye ... there will be many answers to your questions on this forum and no doubt you will have more than you had before you entered here. There are varied forums and subforums within and the collectors and researchers attached to them..will assist you in your quest.
Once you are approved for entry your journey begins.
Enjoy your stay.

Regards Larry

[Graye01]

I'm researching a book about my grandfather. I have various letters and I know he was commissioned to make fuzes in WWl. I have a letter signed by Lord Torpichen at the end of the war saying that his contracts were then expired. I'm interested to know if the fuzes would have had distinguishing marks to denote the manufacturer, and whether record exist concerning what types of fuzes any particular factory would have made. His main business was making equipment for spring and needle making. Just prior to WWl he visited Messrs Singer in Elizabethport, NJ. I know they also made various armaments in WWl and I'm not sure yet whether the visit was in connection with ordinary needlemaking or fuzes.
During WW2 he made the large springs for naval guns, and also hand grenades. I imagine he will have made fuzes too but I'm still trying to find information on that. I know that this factory was guarded by the local Home Guard and the products were taken away accompanied by more guards, quite probably American. Once again, do any records exist concerning manufacturers marks etc?