64/68

Humper,

This dust basket, also known as a ‘humper’, was made at the Royal London School for the Blind. It is a round basket, made of cane, with one roped handle on the border and another halfway down the opposite side. These baskets were used by dustmen from about 1800 for collecting refuse, and the position of the handles meant that they could be easily carried on the shoulder. The Royal London School for the Blind produced and supplied baskets of this type by order.

1 basket: cane

Pre-MERL list / description – '[insert] 64/63-69 [end insert] Coming from the ROYAL LONDON SCHOOL FOR THE BLIND. ['ROYAL LONDON SCHOOL FOR THE BLIND' underlined] // [insert] via Miss D. Wright [end insert] // 1.) Hawker's basket. ['Hawker's basket' underlined] Supplied by order to London Street flower sellers. [ink sketch] [insert] 64/63 [end insert] // 2.) Stable Basket. ['Stable basket' underlined] Cane [ink sketch] [insert] 64/64 [end insert] // 3.) Notched Plate Basket. ['Notched Plate Basket' underlined] Used on board ship for clean plates. [ink sketch] [insert] 64/65 [end insert] // 4.) Baker's Basket. ['Baker's Basket' underlined] ( modern version of the Pouch. [ink sketch] [insert] 64/66 [end insert] // 5.) 4-hole Winchester with slot. ['4-hole Winchester' underlined] Used on hospital wards (obsolete). [ink sketch] [insert] 64/67 [end insert] // 6.) 'Humper' or Dust Basket. [''Humper' or Dust Basket' underlined] Carried on the shoulder. Cane. [ink sketch] [insert] 64/68 [end insert] // 7.) Builder's Basket. ['Builder's Basket' underlined] Cane. [ink sketch] (the larger of the two with a body wale.) [insert] 64/69 [end insert].', MERL OLIB database note – 'For general information about basketry, see Dorothy Wright's 'The Complete Book of Baskets and Basketry' [see attachments].', MERL 'Catalogue of baskets' form – 'NAME: BASKET (dust) // Acc. No.: 64/68 // Group: DOMESTIC. CLEANING. // Neg. no.: 60/5926 // Place of origin: Royal London Society for the Blind. // Period in use: ?1800 (or earlier) –1964 // DESCRIPTION // Materials: Cane. // Shape and construction: Round. Made strongly. One roped handle set flat on the border, another halfway down the side opposite. Both tied. 4 more bands on the bottom. Border: 5 beh. [behind] 2. // Dimensions: 21” W.T. [width of top] 16” high. BS. [number of bottom sticks] 6 1/2 St. [number of stakes] 23. W.B. [width of bottom] 14” // Use: Used by dustmen for refuse collecting. Specially made for carrying on the shoulder. // Dialect names: Humper // Distribution: // Additional notes: Specification given in List of Sizes & Prices. [Basketmakers’ Lists of Sizes and Prices of Work] London. 1865 p.38. & 1850. p.55 // See Illust. SG.25. PWH.16'

Greater London [region]

1964

Wright, Dorothy (Recorder)