Historical information

These matches are safety matches, which can be struck only against a specially prepared surface. They were made by Bryant and May which was a United Kingdom company created in the mid-nineteenth century specifically to make matches. Their original Bryant and May Factory was located in Bow, London. They later opened other match factories in the United Kingdom and Australia, such as the Bryant and May Factory, Melbourne, and owned match factories in other parts of the world.
These matches belonged to Marjorie Burton.Marjorie Burton ( nee Whiteman), born 12 June, in Birmingham, England came to Orbost in 1995.
In England she did office work – typing, shorthand and secretarial work - in accountants’ offices and also trained as a comptometrist with Burroughs in London. She came from a middle-class, working, church-going family. Her mother was a milliner who made many of Marjorie’s clothes, hats and outfits.
Marjorie was married in 1938 to a salesman who later became a mechanic in the R.A.F.

Physical description

A box of harlequin matches. The box is a shiny green colour and closes with a tongue into a slit. There is a striking plate underneath. Inside there are approximately 40 matches with various coloured heads

Inscriptions & markings

Inside the lid - Bryant & May's British Made
Harlequin Matches