purplecat

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Last week, while investigating the contents of an old ammunition box at my parents for share certificates, I found the following:

Miscellaneous almost square plastic cases about 5-10mm thick. Several are in wrappers of various sorts. Two are black and have what would these days be a long LED display in them but it looks like something else here (with dots on it), a black semi-spherical bulge and a second circular hole next to the bulge - again with grey material behind. Two are blue and a bit chunkier. One as an orange circle attached to hang from it on a plastic ribbon - the other obviously did once as well but the orange circle is not detached and two one side. These blue things have four rectangular moulded indentations in them. Finally there is a grey square with a single rectangular space. They all look like they are little cases that could be opened - some kind of strip put inside and then closed (it is possibly the contents that are still in the wrappers. A few safety pins can be seen for attaching the cases to one's closing. Behind them is a postcard in mostly illegible writing

The postcard reads (in my father's handwriting) "Personal Radiation Dosemeters either designed by John Dennis or in whose design he was involved".

A black velvet presentation box that is open. It has a white satin lining and a black velvet pad to which is fixed a gold broach with three pearls on a long gold spike. The middle pearl is slightly larger than the two either side of it. Behind this is second smaller pin with a triangular badge with a three spoked design in gold against a black background, the spokes are wavy and go to the centre of each side of the triangle, meeting in the middle. There is a small card in mostly illegible writing in the lid of the box.

The card reads (again in my father's handwriting) "Centre pearl has been irradiated in a nuclear reactor. Given to John Dennis when visiting Japan 1952."

I don't know why I didn't photograph it, but there was also a medal in the box with a boxer on it. Dad's card with that noted that it had been presented to him for boxing. Underneath he had written "John lost both the fight and his front tooth". Weirdly it had never before occurred to me to wonder why my father was missing a front tooth.

Crossposts: https://louisedennis.livejournal.com/431467.html

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

From:

isis

This is very cool!

From:

purplecat

Indeed - though my sister now tells me that there should be a dosemeter based on the design of our kitchen timer but it doesn't appear to be there.

From:

liadt

I'd be alarmed at being given jewellery that had been in a nuclear rector but presumably the pearl was safe!

From:

purplecat

Dad was an expert on dosimetry and the biological effects of radiation so I also assume it was safe - though I suppose it was stored in an ammunition box...

From:

liadt

Heh, well you can't be too careful!

From:

daniel-saunders.livejournal.com

Exciting! All round to yours when World War III breaks out, then...

From:

purplecat

Though sadly the dosemeters, if working at all, would just read "way too high, leave now!"

From:

fififolle

Fascinating!! And slightly worrying! What a dad.

From:

purplecat

A few years ago, when he was a bit more verbal, we found some photographs of him which he said were taken at Dounray. When we asked what he was doing there he said they were the only people who would let him play with their nuclear reactor...

From:

fififolle

Doesn't surprise me!

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purplecat

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