51/1275

This straw rope twister was used to make straw ropes for thatching and straw bands, called ‘whoppies’ in Northumberland, for tying up bean sheaves and bundles of straw. It is made in the shape of a hook, with an iron bar across the hook and a swivel ring at the end, and needed two people. A rope or cord was passed through the ring and tied round the operator’s waist. Straw was caught over the hook and the operator threw the twister round to spin the straw while the second person continued to add straw until a rope about 36 feet long was made.

1 twister; wood and metal [iron]; good condition

MERL 'Catalogue index' card – 'Mr. Wood said that this straw rope twister had been used at Castle Heaton to make straw ropes for thatching and straw bands, locally called WHOPPIES, for tying up bean sheaves, and bundles of straw during threshing. // It is made in the shape of a hook, with an iron swivel ring on the end of the handle, and an iron bar between the two parts of the hook. A rope or cord was passed through the ring and tied round the waist of the operator. A suitable amount of straw was caught over the hook, and the twister thrown round so as to spin the straw. More straw was fed into the hook as it was needed. Spinning continued until a rope about 36 feet long was made. This was then wound on itself into a bobbin, which was convenient for storing and carrying to the stack. These twisters are still occasionally in use, but generally made way for factory-made yarn ropes of coconut fibre 20 to 30 years ago. Such twisters were used widely in Northumberland and on the borders of Scotland. They needed two people, one to operate the twister and one to feed the straw. About 24 straw ropes were necessary to secure the top of an average sized round stack. Oat straw was always used for this process, and a straw rope thus made cost about 1/4d. On this farm there were 18 straw rope twisters, needing 36 men to operate them. The twister is 16.5 inches in length and 10 inches across the hook. // See also 51/20.', Letter, John Wood to Miss Neill, 5 November 1951 – ‘I know it came into my father’s possession when he entered this farm in 1889. The previous tenant may have bought it when he entered in 1879. The tenancy change previous to that was in 1860… I find we have about 18 of these hooks indicating about 36 workers to use them. Today we have 11 workers, I fear the numbers may drop even more.’

1875-01-01 - 1899-12-31

Late-nineteenth century

Wood, Metal, iron