Here's a twister for you.

This is a preview of the next machine I will be putting on Vintage Sewing Machine Shop Photos, a 1934 Singer 128K that I acquired last month.

Also you have a photo of my Grandad, 1874 - 1947, born and died in England.

The burning question is , what have this sewing machine and my Grandad got in common?

Absolutely no clues this time. You never know, someone might get the answer in the next ten minutes. If no one gets it before my bed-time tonight the suspense will continue until Thursday because I am going away for a couple of days. So go ahead everyone- the wilder the guess the better the entertainment!

Okay, I'll bite - did he work for Singer and put the decals on all of them during his time there?

He gave one of these to your mother as a gift?

He trod the boards in the Music Halls as a singer? Good looking man, by the way.

I know - he took it with him to "wow" the natives in his next grand expedition! I noticed his riding crop & helmet - some place exotic this Moracco, Saudia Arabia or South America.

Excellent answer. Shame it's wrong. Of course he's good looking. Mother from County Galway, father from Mayo. It takes one to spot one.

They were born the same year.

Their name is both SINGER?

They both retired in the same year?

Here's a wild guess (please don't be offended!) They both were cranky???

they are both Singers?

that was my guess, but you beat me to it :)

No, nobody is there yet. Good night.

hmmm.....well he is wearing a uniform - perhaps he might have been a tailor for his regimen?

They both were born/built in England?

Muv, Your Singer 128 has the Star of India decal on it.
I believe your grandfather lived in India while it was part of the British Empire (1900-1947). I need some more research time; seems I'll have it, since you will not be back until Thursday.

They share a birthday.

The tension on both is unadjustible?

They both had to be cranked up to work.

Both were used in India. India was still owned by England. War going on 1904?

Been cool if your grandfather had owned a 1934 Rolls Royce called the "Star of India". Awesome car! I know that isn't it, just having fun researching Star of India. :)

You could be on the right track. Curious to see the answer.

you found his picture under the machine and wonder why it was there. Good looking man.

They both have the same birth date

Both had loose screws???

His uniform was sewn by this machine.

They were both loved dearly by your grandma. :D

GOOD ONE!!!

I agree! I love this answer.

He owned this machine and used it?

This was my first thought. The machine was built when he was 60 years old. So there is a small window of common time. He may have purchased it.

They were both awarded a Gold Medal?

I agree with this one being the factor in common! Just guessing.

They were born the same year!

Your grandfather was award a medal for his service in India and that medal is shaped as a star.

Or they both have a star. The Singer sewing machine has the Indian Star decal and your grandfather was awarded the 1914 Star medal also known as the Mons Star award.

I like that idea that he may have lived in India during the time of British Empire and served as an cavalry soldier. You stated what do they "got" in common. So, I'm leaning towards the machine has the Indian Star and your grandfather was awarded a metal in a star shape that may be from his serve in India.

Thank you all for the entertaining replies.

A round of applause please for tonight's winner of the three-course meal for two plus drinks in an invisible curry house. Vintagemotif correctly deduced that both spent time in India.

My Grandad was shipped to Bombay as a soldier in 1896, and was in India (apart from a short spell in Burma) until 1902.

The machine was manufactured in Scotland and given the Indian star decal, which was put on the machines that were shipped to Bombay for sale in India.

And of course, both ended up back in England. Grandad came back in late 1902 via South Africa, where he had a quick run around in the tail end of the Boer War. Quite how the machine ended up back on these shores I don't know. The lady I bought it from said it had previously belonged to her mother, and her family had never been in India, but my guess is that it must have been a machine that was bought in India and had come back with a British family that returned from there.

imayo - funny you should come up with the date 1904! The photo was taken in 1902.

Covered in Threads - nice idea that he was a cavalry officer, but that's not the case. It's not a riding crop, but a swagger stick, which went with his rank, Lance Corporal, a non-commissioned officer.

Vintagemotif - he did get a medal, but not a star. He got a campaign medal for his service in South Africa. And as for the Rolls Royce - oh what a marvellous fantasy, he was not of that class.

I hope you all enjoyed that excursion into the history of the British Empire through a Singer sewing machine. Photos will be going onto the Vintage Sewing Machine Shop Photos thread later tonight...

Id guess both the same age too!!!

That was fun! I love history. My 15 year old son, who is a history buff, helped me out and gave me the lowdown of the war in India.
Thanks,
Adri

Thank you for the history lesson!