"Ditty Box" is the name used to describe the box in which Royal Navy sailors were allowed to keep their private papers, including letters to and from their loved ones.
There has been a Navy dockyard at Portsmouth since the middle ages. Situated where we are, just along the coast from Portsmouth, ditty boxes used to be a common sight at antiques fairs. 
We purchased this particular box probably 40 years ago and it is somewhat unusual. It has the usual pencil rack inside ( which is loose ) but in addition it has a hand carved hardwood "frame ".
It has the seamans initials and a photograph of perhaps his wife. Inside the lid are numerous stamps from the letters he received. They appear to date this box to the early years of the 20th century.
Many of these boxes had brass name plaques and this one has H. Silkstone on the front. It may have has another plaque on the side.
The box is made of pine and is in good order with a lovely colour. There are a lot of cut marks on the lid.
There is no key.
This is a very unusual and evocative item from a bygone age.