51/1

Preview of 60 years of The Archers and MERL: 1951-2011, Everyday stories of country folk: 60 years of The Archers and MERL: 1951-2011, History of the World

This bell is thought to have been used with cattle grazing on Ashampstead Common. It was probably made as a sheep bell but then later used with cattle. The person who donated the object studied for a degree in Agriculture at the University of Reading and came from a local farming family.

1 cow bell: metal (wrought iron); fair condition

MERL 'Catalogue index' card – 'COWBELL [insert] BELL (COW) [end insert] // DATE ACQUIRED: January 1951 // GROUP: Livestock - cattle [insert] 4.11.43 [end insert] // NEGATIVE: 35 series/1 35/2 // PERIOD: Known to be 50 years old at least. probably late 19th century // PLACE OF ORIGIN: Presented by [...], Streatley-on-Thames, Berks. // NUMBER: 51/1 // DESCRIPTION: Prior to 1914 the donor's family lived at Ashampstead (Near Pangbourne) and it is thought by him that the bell was used for grazing cattle on Ashampstead Common. Most of this is now under the plough but common grazing rights still exist on the remainder. // The cowbell is made from a single sheet of wrought iron rivetted down both sides. It stands 5 7/8 inches to the top of the double handle. The handle is 1 7/8 inches high above the bell. The bell is 6 1/2 inches broad at the top and 4 1/4 inches at the bottom and 3 1/2 inches across the bottom. The clapper is intact. the bell is in quite good repair and has a good note. // This bell was probably made as a sheep bell but used on cattle. [verso] [photographic print of object]', MERL miscellaneous note - '51/1 (Cow bell) // [...] studied for a BSc in Agriculture at the University of Reading between 1949 and 1952. // He gave the first object to the Museum's collection but did not know this until informed of the fact in 2011. He remembers having donated the object but did not know it became the founding item in the collection. [At the time of this note] He still lives on the same farm that he did when he donated the artefact back in 1951. He was taught by John Higgs and others on the London Road campus. // ... // These details gathered during a telephone call with [...] conducted by Ollie Douglas on 8 March 2011.'

1875-01-01 - 1901-12-31

Late-nineteenth century

Bell, cow, Bell, sheep