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Young (Manufacturer)

These forceps appear to have been originally designed for human use - inscriptions on the inside of the handles read 'YOUNG // EDINBURGH // FIRST PRIZE AWARDED TO JNO. H. GOODLIFE' and 'YOUNG // EDINBURGH // UNIVERSITY OF ABERDEEN // MIDWIFERY CLASS // SESSION 1893-94'. They were later used by a farmer as lambing hooks, for aiding in the birth of lambs. They were made by Young of Edinburgh.

1 set of hooks: two detachable parts [steel]; ebony handles; one leather storage pouch

MERL 'Handwritten catalogue' form – ‘HOOKS (LAMBING) // From inscription on handle these appear to have been for human use at first. See correspondence // Items - Hooks in two detachable sections // One leather case // [pencil sketch] // Ebony // Steel // Inscriptions on inside of handles // (1) YOUNG // EDINBURGH // FIRST PRIZE AWARDED TO JNO. H. GOODLIFE // (2) YOUNG // EDINBURGH // UNIVERSITY OF ABERDEEN // MIDWIFERY CLASS // SESSION 1893-94' // [insert] More accurately called FORCEPS? [end insert]', Letter, F. Robson to MERL, 11 November 1961 - 'Enclosed are the clambing hooks which I promised to send for the museum. // I found them myself on a refuge dump, and traced their path back, through the hands of a butcher, and a farmer. Before this their history is rather vague, and I can find little else about them, except the name and date printed on the handle. // Such implements were used in this district around 1900, as my grandfather had a pair.'

Edinburgh

1894 - 1894

Hook, lambing, Forceps