66/311

This is a pair of thatching shears used for the final trimming of thatch. These shears belonged to a thatcher in Yarcombe, Devon.

1 thatcher's spear: metal; good condition

MERL Miscellaneous note, Greta Bertram, 5 March 2014 – The Burne-Jones collection of thatching and other tools was put together by the donor while living in Membury, Devon, some time prior to 1966. She had planned to open a private museum. The tools came from the workshop of Mr Spiller, a thatcher from Yarcombe, Devon, and were in regular use until his death in 1962. He had thatched in the area his whole life, and his widow passed on his tools. By 1966 the donor had moved to Oxfordshire and no longer had room for the Collection so donated it to MERL., MERL ‘Handwritten catalogue’ – ‘SHEARS // 66/311 // CRAFTS Straw thatch // ... // Shears used for final trimming of thatch. Belonged to Mr Spiller, Yarcombe, Devon who died in 1962 while still working as a thatcher. // [pencil drawing] // Tip broken. // All metal. // Rusting.’

Spiller (Agent)