First, may I wish my belated but heartfelt best wishes for a Happy & Healthy 2016 to all forum members past & present.

Second, I'm posting in the hope this nice WW1 item will find it's way to the best possible new home, hopefully descendants of it's original owner, or a local collector. I'm sorry it's a tight timescale before the auction ends, I've only just spotted it myself. Please be assured I'm in not linked to the seller or the family, I don't stand to benefit in any way from this auction, I won't be bidding.

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Vintage-WW1-Brass-SNUFF-BOX-Edmund-Tingle-CINDERFORD-Glos-191...

The item is marked "Edmund Tingle Cinderford 1917", and carries the Royal Artillery Crest. It's possibly "trench art" made from a used brass shell case which a member of the Artillery would obviously have access to, it's 2.5" diameter suggests it may have been the base portion of a 6 pounder shell, see Figure 9 in this article.
http://cartridgecollectors.org/?page=introduction-to-artillery-shells-and-shell-casings
By WW1 this calibre gun & shell was outdated for front-line Artillery use, although some were used in anti-aircraft guns, others were still used for Home Defence and training duties. However it was used in the new British tanks, which may make this item even more desirable to a collector ?. By coincidence, the prototype of the world's first battle tank was first secretly shown to Lloyd George and the Government 100 years ago this week.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/QF_6_pounder_6_cwt_Hotchkiss

------------------------

Regarding Edmund Tingle himself, since cancelling my Ancestry subs I'm unable to research his War History in any detail, or show any Census data. This site’s WW1 database names four Tingles, all from Cinderford, but no Edmund.
Searching this site’s PRs finds three Edmund Tingles, all in the Cinderford area. I haven't found them mentioned within any existing forum threads.

The first Edmund Tingle is too old to be a WW1 soldier;

Record_ID: 729
Entry_Number: 742
Year: 1858
Month: Oct
Day: 31
Parents_Surname: TINGLE
Child_Forenames: Edmund
Fathers_Forenames: Robert
Mothers_Forenames: Caroline
Mothers_Surname:
Residence: East Dean
Occupation: Miner
Officiating_Minister: Wickham M. Birch
Event: Baptism
Memoranda:
Notes:
Register_Reference: P1 IN 1/7
Page_Number: 93
Parish_Chapel: Abenhall
Soundex: T524

Record_ID: 4848
Entry_Number: 313
Year: 1878
Month: Nov
Day: 30
Grooms_Surname: TINGLE
Grooms_Forenames: Edmund
Grooms_Age: 23
Groom_Condition: Bachelor
Grooms_Occupation: Coal Miner
Grooms_Residence: Bilson
Grooms_Fathers_Surname: Tingle
Grooms_Fathers_Forenames: Robert
Grooms_Fathers_Occupation: Coal Miner
Brides_Surname: JENKINS
Brides_Forenames: Mary Ann
Brides_Age: 19
Brides_Condition: Spinster
Brides_Occupation: [not stated]
Brides_Residence: Bilson
Brides_Fathers_Surname: Jenkins
Brides_Fathers_Forenames: Enos
Brides_Fathers_Occupation: Coal Miner
Licence_or_Banns: Banns
Date_of_Banns: [not stated]
Signature_or_Mark: Both Sign
Witness_1: George Tingle
Witness_2: Sarah Bryant
Other_Witnesses:
Officiating_Minister: William Barker Vicar
Event: Marriage
Memoranda:
Notes:
Register_Reference: P109 IN 1/7
Page_Number: 157
Parish_Chapel: Drybrook
Soundex_Groom: T524
Soundex_Bride: J525

His possible burial ?;
Record_ID: 8638
Entry_Number: 1606
Year: 1937
Month: Jan
Day: 16
Surname: TINGLE
Forenames: Edmund
Residence: 4 Bishopstone R[oa]d Gloucester
Age_at_death: 81
Officiating_Minister: Tom T Haines Vicar
Event: Burial
Cause_of_death:
Memoranda: A/2/77
Notes:
Register_Reference: P85/1 IN 1/15
Page_No: 201
Parish_Chapel: Cinderford St John
Soundex: T524

The next Edmund Tingle in the PRs could easily be our soldier, indeed he dies very young and during WW1, perhaps a result of wounds, perhaps the 1917 date on the Snuff Box indicates this ?;

Record_ID: 7364
Entry_Number: 332
Year: 1918
Month: Oct
Day: 14
Surname: TINGLE
Forenames: Sidney Edmund
Residence: Cinderford
Age_at_death: 32
Officiating_Minister: H M Biddell Vicar of S Stephens Woodside
Event: Burial
Cause_of_death:
Memoranda:
Notes:
Register_Reference: P85/1 IN 1/15
Page_No: 42
Parish_Chapel: Cinderford St John
Soundex: T524

However, Sydney Edmund Tingle is not commemorated on Cinderford's War Memorial.
http://www.memorialtranscripts.co.uk/Compressed/gloucestershire_ww1.html

I cannot find his Baptism PR, but from GlosBMD;

Birth Details

Child Surname Child Forename Father Surname Mother Surname Mother's Former Name Year District Office Register Entry
TINGLE Sydney Edmund TINGLE TINGLE JENKINS 1886 Forest of Dean Westbury on Severn, Newnham 55 57

Which suggests he may be the son of the aforementioned Edmund & MaryAnne Tingle (nee Jenkins). This birthdate perfectly fits the burial record.

Apart from confirming the above birth and death records, the only other Sidney E Tingle record on FreeBMD is this Marriage, which seems a good fit;

Surname First name(s) Age District Vol Page
Marriages Jun 1911 (>99%)
Allen Arthur Bristol 6a 334
Allen Florence M Bristol 6a 334
Bardell Frances M Bristol 6a 334
Basdell Frances M Bristol 6a 334
Tingle Sydney E Bristol 6a 334

I hope someone can please supply Census details for this family, and perhaps Edmund's Army Records, thanks.

Re his Army Records, in absence of Ancestry etc I've searched the National Archives site for his medal card. The nearest fit could perhaps be our Edmund, especially if viewing the actual card suggests a possible transcription error wrt "c" and "e" ?

Reference: WO 372/20/37634
Description:
Medal card of Tingle, Sidney C
Corps Regiment No Rank
Royal Garrison Artillery 304 Gunner
Date: 1914-1920
Held by: The National Archives, Kew

http://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/D5579664

Searching the War Graves database confirms the above record, the type-written Report definitely shows "C", so maybe this isn't our Edmund, altho the date "fits" the Burial PR.

Rank:Gunner
Service No: 311038
Date of Death: 04/07/1917
Regiment/Service: Royal Garrison Artillery 1st/1st (North Riding) Heavy Bty.
Grave Reference: III. D. 171
Cemetery: BAILLEUL COMMUNAL CEMETERY EXTENSION, NORD
http://www.cwgc.org/find-war-dead/casualty/201905/TINGLE,%20S%20C

???

R.I.P. Gunner Tingle.

This must be his family,

GR 1891 Census, Ruspidge

Edmund TINGLE, Head, M, 35, Coal Miner, b. East Dean, Glos.
Mary A, Wife, M, 31, b. East Dean, Glos.
Eliza, Daur, S, 11, Scholar, b. East Dean, Glos.
Florance R, Daur, S, 9, Scholar, b. East Dean, Glos.
Bertha E, Daur, S, 6, Scholar, b. East Dean, Glos.
Sydney E, Son, S, 4, Scholar, b. East Dean, Glos.
Alice C, Daur, S, 3, b. East Dean, Glos.
Gertrude A, Daur, S, 1, b. East Dean, Glos.

GR 1901 Census, East Dean,

Edmund TINGLE, Head, M, 45, Coal Miner (Loadman) U G, b. Glos. East Dean
Mary Ann, Wife, M, 41, b. Glos. East Dean
Sidney, Son, S, 15, b. Glos. East Dean
Alice , Daur, S, 13, b. Glos. East Dean
Gertrude, Daur, S, 11, b. Glos. East Dean
Ellen, Daur, S, 9, b. Glos. East Dean
Emily, Daur, S, 5, b. Glos. East Dean

No luck yet with army records.

Thanks Mike, you're a star !

Searching the BNA site gives this story which nicely fits his Marriage in 1911, hopefully more to follow;

"An old and respected member of the Bath Police is retiring on pension after 27 years' service — P.C. Gilson. For several years past he has been a houseman at the central station. The vacancy was filled to-day by the appointment of Sidney E. Tingle, Cinderford man."

Bath Chronicle & Weekly Gazette - Thursday 5 May 1910

Oddly I cannot find any other references to Sydney, or Edmund, especially his death.
??

=====================

Also found adverts around the 1910-1917 time for Tingle Brothers of Cinderford, who were clearly an engineering/foundry business. It seems they were doing well as were advertising for good staff.

I suspect this is the company's owner; an article in Gloucester Journal of Saturday 14 July 1917 describes Mr A.E. Tingle of Cinderford presiding at a meeting of the Technical Committee at Lydney Institute.

Another article in Glos Chronicle of Saturday 18 March 1916 describing a meeting of the East Dean Urban District Council states Mr A.E. Tingle is Chairman of the Water Committee. They also discuss a claim by Mr A.S.Chew of Steam Mills wrt his traction engine, and the council's Road Surveyor is a Mr A.E.Teague - see below wrt these names..

Other articles show Mr A.E. Tingle was on the Westbury Board of Guardians, clearly he was held in some regard locally.

As a mechanical engineer myself, born near Bilson Green and a St Stephens churchgoer too, this family interests me !

From this site;
Record_ID: 24948
Entry_Number: 10
Year: 1891
Month: Jul
Day: 13
Grooms_Surname: TINGLE
Grooms_Forenames: Alfred Elam
Grooms_Age: 26
Groom_Condition: Bachelor
Grooms_Occupation: Engineer
Grooms_Residence: Bilson Green Cinderford
Grooms_Fathers_Surname: Tingle
Grooms_Fathers_Forenames: Joseph
Grooms_Fathers_Occupation: Engineer
Brides_Surname: DUBBERLEY
Brides_Forenames: Rose Agnes Rudge
Brides_Age: 20
Brides_Condition: Spinster
Brides_Occupation:
Brides_Residence: Bilson Green Cinderford
Brides_Fathers_Surname: Dubberley
Brides_Fathers_Forenames: James
Brides_Fathers_Forenames: James
Brides_Fathers_Occupation: Collier
Licence_or_Banns: Banns
Date_of_Banns: [not stated]
Signature_or_Mark: Both sign
Witness_1: Samuel George Moore
Witness_2: Jane Moore
Other_Witnesses:
Officiating_Minister: J. F. Young Rector of Kingswood
Event: Marriage
Memoranda:
Notes:
Register_Reference: P85/2 1N 1/6
Page_Number: 5
Parish_Chapel: Cinderford St Stephen
Soundex_Groom: T524
Soundex_Bride: D164

(Is father Joseph the same as the "Iron founder of Bilson Woodside" listed here ?)
https://freepages.rootsweb.com/~cbennett/genealogy/newnham1868.htm

GlosBMD Birth Details

Child Surname Child Forename Father Surname Mother Surname Mother's Former Name Year District Office Register Entry
TINGLE Alfred Elam TINGLE TINGLE TEAGUE 1863 Forest of Dean Westbury on Severn, Newnham 24 167

FreeBMD Death

Surname Given Name Age District
Deaths Dec 1949
Tingle Alfred E. 86 F.of Dean

I wonder if his Teague mother was linked to the illustrious iron founder James Teague of Whitecliff and Moses (his son?) of Darkhill fame ?
http://www.forest-of-dean.net/fodmembers/index.php?id=17737

I don't know(yet) for sure but it seems likely the Whitecliff Teagues are linked to this later business on the outskirts of Cinderford; Teague and Chew Iron Foundry, Steam Mills, c1950.
http://forest-of-dean.net/gallery/hale_people/pages/page_8.html
http://www.forest-of-dean.net/fodmembers/index.php?id=5698

------------

UPDATE:
Well, it does look like the Steam Mills Teagues are linked to James, as this Directory from 1902 includes these entries;

TEAGUE Moses Edward, Steam Mills (Private Residents)

TEAGUE, CHEW & FLEMING, engineers & millwrights (Commercial)

TINGLE BROS., iron founders & engineers (Commercial)
https://freepages.rootsweb.com/~cbennett/genealogy/cinderford1902.htm

This 1894 Directory carries similar entries
https://freepages.rootsweb.com/~cbennett/genealogy/cinderford1894.htm

I wonder if Moses Edward is a descendant of Moses of Darkhill fame ?.

From this site;
Record_ID: 249527
Entry_Number: 1036
Year: 1924
Month: Mar
Day: 23
Surname: TEAGUE
Forenames: Moses Edward
Residence: Bowson House Cinderford
Age_at_death: 67 years
Officiating_Minister: W M Bellamy Vicar
Event: Burial
Cause_of_death:
Memoranda:
Notes:
Register_Reference: P109 IN 1/14
Page_No: 130
Parish_Chapel: Drybrook
Soundex: T200

Bowson House; http://www.forest-of-dean.net/fodmembers/index.php?id=46755

Birth Details

Child Surname Child Forename Father Surname Mother Surname Mother's Former Name Year District Office
TEAGUE Moses Edward TEAGUE TEAGUE BOUGHTON 1856 Forest of Dean Westbury on Severn, Newnham

Marriage Details

Groom Surname Groom Forename Bride Surname Bride Forename District Parish Building Year
TEAGUE Edward BOUGHTON Mary Forest of Dean Drybrook Holy Trinity 1847

Also see this prior thread;
https://forum.forest-of-dean.net/index.php?id=28599

??? More work needed to link to Darkhill Moses... this thread and Census Records should help, is indeed son of Edward & Mary, a mechanical engineer etc, marries in 1887 in India to the daughter of a Glasgow (heavy engineering) boilermaker ?!
http://www.genesreunited.co.uk/boards/board/ancestors/thread/1341144

Also see http://www.forest-of-dean.net/fodmembers/index.php?id=45879

=================

As well as the Teagues I see Tingles were engineering in Cinderford area since the early days

"In 1831 William Tingle and William Cooper obtained permission to build a machine for grinding ochre on Cinderford (or Soudley) brook in Ruspidge, evidently on the site west of the brook where William Crawshay and Moses Teague owned a paint mill in 1838."
http://www.british-history.ac.uk/vch/glos/vol5/pp326-354

I wonder if these Tingles are linked to those of Tingle's Level Iron mine up above Cinderford at Edge Hills, where we used to "muck about" as kids in the early 70s. The mine is mentioned in NIcholl's book "Iron Making in Olden Times" from 1866, full transcript in this site,
https://forest-of-dean.net/joomla/index.php/iron-making-nicholls

??