51/266

Flails were commonly used to thresh corn and other crops to separate the grain from the husks, before the development of threshing machines. This flail came from Lower Farm in Hadstock, Essex, where it was in use until about 1937. It was used for threshing small quantities of corn for feeding fowls. A flail usually consists of a handle, a 'swingel' (the swinging part of the flail which hits the grain) and a 'swivel' joint to join the two together. This flail has an ash handle and a willow swingel but no swivel – instead the two parts are joined together by a leather thong.

1 flail: wood [ash and willow] and leather; good condition, although swiple shows signs of hard wear

Letter, Donor to The MERL, 30 January 1951 – 'Having seen in the Times the report on the Rural Museum, I should be glad to offer an old flail, it this would be acceptable. It was in use on a farm in Essex til shortly before the War, though latterly only for threshing small quantities of grain, eg for feeding fowls.', Letter, The MERL to Donor, 6 February 1951 - '[...] I wonder if you wold be kind enough to fill in such information as you have about the flail on the attached sheet as this would assist us greatly in classifying it when we recieve it.', Letter, Donor to The MERL, 12 February 1951 - 'I am sending the flail by rail as you suggest. I do enclose the form as suggested, but I really have no idea ... of the flail. They are quite common in this part of the country but of course it is impossible to tell the age at they are all on the same lines. This one has evidently seem a good deal of [verso] wear. Some have two short ends for greater efficency. Their use needs more skill than one might suppose - one is very apt to think oneself instead of the corn!', Letter, The MERL to Donor, 19 February 1951 - '[...] Thank you very much for the information you have provided about it.', MERL 'Catalogue index' card – ‘Flail // DATE ACQUIRED: February 1951 // GROUP: Threshing hand // NEGATIVE: 35/164 35/165 // PERIOD: c. 1900 or earlier // PLACE OF ORIGIN: presented by [...] Jesus College, Cambridge // NUMBER: 51/266 // DESCRIPTION: This flail came from Lower Farm, Hadstock, Essex and was in use until about 1937 for threshing small quantities of corn for feeding fowls. // The hand-staff is made of ash and measures 49 inches in length. The swingel is willow and measures 28.5 inches in length. The staff ends in a knob, and over this is bent a hoop of willow, fastened to the staff by leather thongs. There is no swivel on it. The end of the swingel is bound with leather, fastened to the wood by thongs and by nails. The two parts are joined together by a leather thong. The swingel shows signs of hard wear. // see also 51/46M.'

1800-01-01 - 1899-12-31

Nineteenth century

Wood, ash, Wood, willow, Leather