Snap time

[sycamore66j]

does anyone know where the term "snap time"originated. i suppose the modern equivalent would be lunch break or dinner hour. but going back a few years especially in the steelworks where i served my apprenticeship, any breaks were refered to a " snap time " when sandwiches would be taken from a "snap tin" wich was brought to work each day. i also wondered if this term was just a sheffield phrase or used elsewhere in the country.

[Blackbeard]

Like most things the forum has covered it before

http://www.sheffieldforum.co.uk/showthread.php?t=18324&pp=20

I believe it comes from the mining community and it is covered on many sites about mining

http://photosforthefuture.thehistorychannel.co.uk/?cmd=photo_view&photo_id=226

There is also an other picture of a "Snap Tin" here

http://www.mylearning.org/downloadfile.asp?dir=coal-mining-and-the-victorians&file=Mining%20Objects%20Cards.pdf&filetype=3&journeyid=297&resourceid=1482

[depoix]

does anyone know where the term "snap time"originated. i suppose the modern equivalent would be lunch break or dinner hour. but going back a few years especially in the steelworks where i served my apprenticeship, any breaks were refered to a " snap time " when sandwiches would be taken from a "snap tin" wich was brought to work each day. i also wondered if this term was just a sheffield phrase or used elsewhere in the country.

snap time was when you had your break,break = snap if you see what i mean,it's a miners term,started many years ago with the cornish tin miners they took a pastie to work,half the pasty was meat and potatoe,the other half was fruit,usually apple pie ,they snapped it in half so they had diner and afters