2011/38/1-3

Lee & Co. Ltd. Fowler (Manufacturer)

This is a mercury thermometer with a cardboard case and lid, marketed as a ‘bottling thermometer’ and used by the donor for testing the temperature of jam. It was manufactured by Fowler, Lee and Co. Ltd., a fruit, vegetable and game bottling appliance manufacturing company based in Reading. It was given to the donor by an elderly man when she was in the Women's Institute (W. I.) in Swindon during her retirement.

1 jam thermometer: glass; mercury; good condition. 1 case & lid: cardboard; good condition

MERL ‘Object Accession Form’ – 'Short description (free text): Thermometer used for testing the temperature of jam. Cardboard case with lid used to house thermometer. // ... // Physical description (free text): Thermometer: Length: 285mm, Diameter: 20mm. Long, clear glass tube with tapered ends. The top end is rounded while the bottom is finished with metal housing the mercury. The mercury moves up a very thin clear tube within. The temperatures are printed on paper fitted behind the mercury tube with a thin piece of wood fitted at either end (each with an indentation to allow the mercury tube to pass through). In addition to the temperatures, the following is also printed on the paper: 'Bottling Thermometer. Geo. Fowler, Lee & Co. LTD., Queen's Road, Reading. British Made. Manufacturers of Appliances for Fruit and Vegetable Bottling, Jam and Jelly Making, Crystallising and Sweet Making.' Case with Lid: Case: Length: 258mm, Diameter: 23mm. Lid: Length: 75mm, Diameter: 23mm. Made of blue cardboard with red card at either end. Discoloured and stained. Lid slides onto case over narrower, ridged end. There is cotton wool inside the lid at the top, presumably to offer added protection to the thermometer. There is writing on the red end of the lid, possibly says 19\7 but is not clear.// ... // Associated information (free text): This jam thermometer with case was donated to MERL by Varina Clark on behalf of its owner, Rosemary Gegg. The thermometer had been given to Mrs Gegg by an elderly aquaintance while she was a member of the WI in Swindon. Before moving to Swindon, Mrs Gegg and her husband lived near Henley where her husband founded Gegg Opticians. Once retired, they relocated to Swindon where they lived until circa 2003/2004, at which point they returned and settled near Sonning. Upon their return, Mrs Gegg joined Grey's WI near Henley and met Varina Clark who at that time was a member of the WI committee. // References: 'Principles of fruit preservation : jam making, canning and drying', Morris, T.N. (Chapman & Hall, 1951). 'Domestic preservation of fruit and vegetables', Bulletin no 21, Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (HMSO, 1966). 'Mrs Beeton's jam-making : including preserves, marmalades, pickles and home-made wines', Beeton, Mrs. (Isabella Mary) (Ward Lock, 1924).’, MERL miscellaneous note – 'Further notes: // Varina Clark phoned on 1 September 2011 to say that she had spoken with Rosemary Gegg once again. She confirmed that the thermometer had been given to her (possibly by an elderly man but not a relative) when she was in the W.I. in Swindon. Mrs Gegg's husband founded Gegg Opticians in Henley. From discussion with Varina Clark it seemed likely that they had moved to Swindon in retirement and remained there until 7 or 8 years ago, Rosemary Gegg becoming involved in her local W.I. there. She then joined Grey's W.I. upon return to this area. They now live somewhere in or around Sonning.'

Reading

Glass, Metal, mercury, Paper