Knockaloe money box
Date made: 1916
Description: A small wooden rectangular money box made by German internee in Knockaloe Camp during the First World War, 1916. The box has simple inlaid marquetry panels on the sides and hand drawn details in ink. The box has a slot for coins in the top and handwritten inscription on the sides. The front panel has 'Isle of Man' and 'terrible time' on the back with '1914' and '1916' on the sides. The box has one section of wood missing on the base and a broken piece of inlay on top edge above '1916'.
Internees were held on the Isle of Man in two camps, a requisitioned holiday camp in Douglas and a purpose built camp located at Knockaloe near Peel on the west coast of the Island. These held at their peaks over 4,000 and 23,000 men in some cases for nearly five years between opening in 1914 and final closure in 1919. Over 30,000 men passed through Knockaloe between 1914 and 1917 more than the population of Douglas the largest town.
Measurements: overall: 10 cm x 5.7 cm x 5.6 cm
Materials: wood
Object name: money box
Collection: Social History Collection
ID Number: 1954-4078
Subject tags : #WW1INTERNMENTMUSEUMCOLLECTIONS