51/195

These 3 head bells are made of brass and are surmounted by a red, white and blue plume. The bells came from Mr Trotman, the head carter of a farm in Elkstone, Gloucestershire, who had inherited them from his father, and the plume came from a farmer in Gretton, Gloucestershire.

1 set of head bells and plume: metal (brass); horse hair; good condition

Citation in publication [H. J. Massingham, 'Country Relics' (Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1939)] –'My set of waggon-team head-bells belonged to [the donor], the head-carter of a farm at Elkstone...They were his father's before him, since cartering was practically an hereditary profession...The stiff plume of dyed horsehair, fixed by its brass socket to the top of the hood or belfry in which the top bell swings, came from a farmer of Gretton near Winchcomb.' (pp.79) [see also pp. 81-82], [It is possible that the items were displayed as part of THE COTSWOLD TRADITION // AN EXHIBITION AT CIRENCESTER PARK as the following reference is made in the [MASSINGHAM FILE // THE COTSWOLD TRADITION // AN EXHIBITION AT CIRENCESTER PARK // MAY-SEPTEMBER 1951] 'RECEIPT // Received with gratitude the following articles, collected from Reading University on the 29th April, 1951: // ... // horse plume and bells. // ... // Loaned by The Massingham Collection.' The horse plume and bells are not referred to in 'Museum of English Rural Life // Equipment to be loaned to the Cotswold Tradition Exhibition'.], MERL 'Catalogue index' card – Mr. Massingham obtained the bells from Mr. Trotman, the head-carter of a farm at Elkstone (Glos.) , who had inhereited them from his father. // The plume came form a farmer of Gretton, near Winchcombe [sic] (Glos.). // There are 3 bells of brass, surmounted by a red, white and blue plume. See also 51/479.L’, MERL list / description [Massingham Collection, October 1989] – 'ACC. NO.: 51/195 // NAME: HEADBELLS + PLUME // NEG NO.: 35/2506 // STORAGE: P.Ex. (Permanent Exhibition) Harness.'