Security Seals

Security Bag Seals, Image by StuE.
Found throughout Britain, 14mm, 5.1g. 16mm, 6.8g. 20mm, 15.4g. All approx 6mm thick.

These generic type of blank lead seals are still available from several suppliers such as The LeghornGroup and Universeal UK and so their use on milk churns can only be considered one of many 'security tag' applications such as water, gas, electricity (utilities) seals.

They are the modern form of the bulla-type lead seal known as bag seals with tunnels ready formed to allow the attachment wire or cord to be threaded through before crimping shut with the stamp die.

One other use is as milk churn seals. "The milk is received in churns twice a day from a number of farms in various parts of the country. All the churns are sealed with a leaden seal, supplied by the receiving firm, and are further identified with marks by the farmer who has despatched them." THE MILK INDUSTRY, Henry Lee, p.346-350, Britain At Work - a pictorial description of our national industries, (1905) Publisher: Cassel and Company Limited, London. (Information provided by Darron Barnes)

Pewsey Heritage Centre
PHC:2006.812
Milk churn seals
7 circular lead milk churn seals of various sizes, source unknown, 1920-1950.
No image available'

See the Aylesbury Dairy Company seals.