64/19

This basketwork bedwarmer cover was invented by an unknown Reading craftsman, and was presumably for holding metal hot water containers to protect the bed clothes. It is made of white willow with the corner sticks in cane. It is in the form of a tube, flattened on one side and open at both ends, with a roped handle. It was originally sent to Cook’s Farm and Diary Equipment Ltd., but was replaced due to damage, with the damaged original being sent to the Museum.

1 bedwarmer cover: willow (white); cane

Miss Emily E. Mullins (1906–1967) was a basketmaker in Reading. Her family were basketmakers for at least five generations. Her father, William Mullins, had no sons and Emily chose to become a basketmaker and carry on the tradition. She ran a basketmaking business in Bath circa 1926–1939, and moved to London in 1940 where she made baskets for the war effort. Later, she moved to Reading where she took over her father’s job on his death at Cook’s Dairy and Farm Equipment Ltd., a basketmaking firm founded in 1760 by John Cook. Cook’s had premises at Market Place, Reading, and the workshop was at Silver Street, Reading. The Museum has an extensive collection of baskets and basketmaking tools (approximately 200) given to the Museum by Emily Mullins. No correspondence between the Museum and Emily Mullins was found in July 2012, and it is assumed from scraps of information (e.g. a note on the Adlib record for 63/61 which said that the 63/ baskets were made by Emily Mullins for the Museum and were therefore never used, and a note on the Adlib record for 64/147 which said that Emily Mullins made numerous baskets for the Museum in 1964) that the baskets were made by Emily Mullins at Cook’s Silver Street workshop and the tools were used by Emily Mullins at the same workshop., MERL 'Catalogue of baskets' form – 'NAME: Cover, bedwarmer, basketwork // Acc. No.: 64/19 // Group: DOMESTIC. FURNISHING // Neg. no.: 60/13420 // Place of origin: Berkshire. // Period in use: Unknown // DESCRIPTION // Materials: White willow. Corner sticks cane. // Shape and construction: A tube flattened at one side, open at both ends, one having a roping handle. Sides 14 fitches, stakes in pairs. Borders 3 behind 1. St. [number of stakes] 14.18. Upsett 7 rounds randing. Top wale ditto. // Dimensions: Length 30” LB. [length of bottom] 7” WB. [width of bottom] 7” // Use: Presumably made to cover a metal hot water container & protect the bedclothes. // Further History: Invented by a local craftsman in Reading (name unknown) & sent to Cook’s Market Place, Reading. Was replaced, & damaged original sent M.E.R.L. // Dialect names: // Distribution: // Additional notes:'

Reading

Cover, bedwarmer, Basketwork

Wood, willow, white, Plant fibre, rattan

Cook's Dairy and Farm Equipment Ltd. ()
Wright, Dorothy (Recorder)