66/336

A dock lifter, a tool used for removing deep-seated weeds. It consists of two-pronged point, a bar at right angles to the shaft for pushing the tool into the ground with the foot, and a curled semi-circular loop for leverage. The handle is missing. The dock lifter belonged Frank Denslow, a carpenter, coffin maker and wagon maker of Membury, Devon, who died in 1964.

1 dock lifter; metal; fair condition; metal pitted

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 ‘History Artefacts’ card – ‘Id.no: 66/336 // Object name: LIFTER, dock // … // Description: Two short prongs; (right one slightly thicker than left) at the end of flat shaft. At other end: socket for handle with one hole for attachment. Two foot bars project immediately beneath socket – at roughly 1/3 of way along point length. Leverage loop attached beneath shaft, from prongs to foot-bars. Fastened by rivet where it meets the shaft near the foot bars.’, MERL ‘Handwritten catalogue’ – ‘DOCK LIFTER // 66/336 // CULTIVATING Weeding // ... // Given to Mrs Burne-Jones by Mr Frank Denslow, Pound Cottage, Membury, Axminster, Devon. // [pencil drawing] // Iron. // Handle missing.'