Storico archivio
MERL ‘Stakeholders’ recording form, December 2013 – Object number: 2010/132 // Name of recorder: Mary Butcher and Maggie Smith // General construction method: Stake and strand // Overall shape: Oval // Materials: Willow // Base: Traditional English oval base – this is unusual for a basket of this size. 14 short base sticks (layers) – very thick split and shaved rods. At end, sticks are thinner and 3 in a group. Tying in of the slath is randing all the way. Followed by band of slewing for 5cm. Followed by another band of randing for 5cm. Ending with one row of pairing of edge. Starting with butts in 2 places. // Sides: Upsett – starts with 3 tips in left of centre. Long side has butt join on left shoulder opposite side. Staggered every other space. Weave is a 3-rod wale for 4 rows, finishing with tips. 4.5cm depth of wale. Weave – English rand starting on left of one long side for 3 full rands. Depth of randing on long side under handle is 26cm. 3-rod wale for 1 row starting with tips at food end and joined butt to butt in the centre of the back of the hood, with a staggered join. Finishes at foot of basket. // Hood: Packing – randing and slewing mixed. 1st section of packing – 4cm randing, 7cm of 2-rod slew, 6cm of randing. Then wale with butts laid in, starting at one side of hood and finishing on other side of hood. 1 finishing and 2 [?] turning back on themselves to finish. 2nd section of packing – max 11.5cm, 3cm randing, 3cm mix of slewing and randing, 5cm of randing. 3-rod wale starting with butts on one side of hood and finishing tucked away on other side. 3rd section of packing – 12cm max, randing. 1st set of packing goes round 17 stakes. 2nd set of packing goes round 21 stakes. 3rd set of packing goes round 20 stakes. Bi-stakes added for centre hood 10 stakes and go into border. No top wale on hood // Border: Plait border – under handle position 10 rods are inserted, one either side of a stake next to 5 consecutive stakes. 5-pair plait. Plait is possibly irregular. Parts of the rods broken. Plait finished by just tucking rods away following pattern. // Handles: Small plaited handle on each side. Starts with 1 stake and 2 extra rods are tucked in, matched for size. 4-rod plait. Finish 2 rods are through border and woven away. 2 are taken inside border and woven away. Plait – left hand rod goes over 2 and under 1. Right hand rod goes over 1 and under 2. Resultingly, outside edge is stronger. // Lid: – // Dimensions: Width at centre of base (inside measurement) 30cm. Width of shoulder at foot end 31cm. Width of shoulder at head end 31cm. Length of base (inside measurement) 73cm. Max height at foot (outside measurement) 34cm. Max height at hood (inside measurement) 65 cm. Top length (inside measurement) 90cm. Width at handle (inside measurement) 40cm. Width at foot (inside measurement) 40 cm. Width at base of hood 37cm. Height at top of wale before hood starts 32cm. Width of top of handle 10cm. Height from border to underside of handle 4cm. // Anything else to note about this particular basket: – // Anything else to note about this type of basket: –, MERL 'Handwritten accession' form (Museum of English Rural Life) – 'Description: Wickerwork cradle with curved hood, flat base, and two small handles. Decorative band round edging. Tapers very slightly towards hood end. // Dimensions: Max length 890mm // Max height 720mm (at hood) [outside measurement] // Max depth 470mm // Associated information: This object was last used for the donor’s son, Steven Lionel Stockwell, who was born in 1958. At that time the donor was still married to Frederick Alan Archie Stockwell (known as Alan) and the family lived at 85 Earley Road, Reading. Much of the information stems from Alan Stockwell and his brother Harry, now 92 years old. The cradle was handed down through Alan’s side of the family (see associated correspondence for details). In brief, the object dates back to at least 1888 when the family lived at the edge of Langley Park Estate, near Slough. The family name was then Gomme and they lived in an estate cottage. The cradle was apparently dressed freshly for each baby, using lace and satin, a tradition that was followed by the donor in preparation for her son’s arrival in 1958. // References:', Email, Patricia Diana Green to Ollie Douglas, 17 May 2010 – ‘… The Crib has been handed down through Alan’s [Frederick Alan Archie Stockwell, the donor’s husband] side of the family, and it had been used by his mother for his sister and three brothers. His mother Louise Stockwell was born in 1888 and she first used it for her first child Evelyn who was born in 1915, then for her 3 other children (all boys) in 1919 (Harry), 1926, and Alan in 1931. Prior to that, the Crib belonged to Alan’s Grandmother who used it when her daughter Louise was born in 1888. It was also used in the lat 1800s for Louise’s 3 brothers. // The family name then was Gomme, and they lived in a cottage on the edge of Langley Park, which is where Louise was born. Apparently the cradle was always dressed freshly for each baby in lace and satin etc., – a tradition that I followed for my son in 1958. So, we now know that it dates back to at least 1888, but there the trail goes cold I’m afraid. Whether it was used by Louise’s mother when she was a baby is not known, but may be if there is some historical information on styles of basket making in the 19th Century, a more accurate date of origin may be possible? // Some other bits of information about Alan Stockwell’s family. His father (also Harry) was a Game-Keeper to Sir Robert Grenville Harvey, 2nd Baronet, and lived at Langley Park, Slough. Harry was a Carpenter by trade, but also did Gamekeeping for the Head Gamekeeper on Sir Robert’s Estate, a man called Holloway, - who was also the Godfather of Alan’s brother Harry. Unfortunately Mr. Holloway met a tragic end when he died falling off his old motor bike, and his shot gun, (which he always carried on his back – even on his bike) went off, blowing off the back of his head! Apparently, the title of Baronet died with the passing of Sir Robert in 1931. During his life Langley Park was a thriving estate with its own saw mill and flour mill driven by power obtained by putting a dam across the lake in the park. // So, we know that the crib is at least 122 years old, and possibly older, and has been used for at least 9 children of at least 4 generations. As one might expect, the cane has darkened with age, but considering its age and the use it has had, it is in remarkably good condition, with even the cane lifting handles being securely attached.’