Storico archivio
MERL miscellaneous note, B. L. 22 March 1961 – ‘The British Council collection. // This collection of material which is covered by the accession numbers 60/430 to 60/791 contains examples of craft products made in the British Isles. The major part of the collection was prepared immediately after the Second World War for a travelling exhibition which was sent to Australia and New Zealand. // The collection was purchased for a nominal sum by the Museum in two portions, the one in the summer of 1960 and the other in February 1961. // For further details see the individual catalogue cards and the catalogue prepared for the temporary exhibition of the collection.’, MERL 'Catalogue index' card – ‘This cockle gathering basket was made by E. Hughes of Monmouthshire according to the British Council catalogue, but there is some doubt about this and Miss Rose of the British Council notes “? More likely Singleton, Lancashire.” (See 60/461 – 60/464.) The workmanship is, however, coarser than any of the spale baskets made by Singleton. // The basket has an oval shaped bole 19 in – 14 in. and set at right-angles to the centre of its longest sides is the handle, which is made in the same way as the bole and which passes right under the framework. // See letter from John Singleton in Classified Information, and general card on basket making.’, The MERL 'Catalogue index' card notes that while the British Council catalogue states it was made by E. Hughes of Monmouthshire, Miss Rose of the British Council believed it was more likely to have been made by John Singleton and Son of Wray, Lancashire. The card also notes however that it is much coarser than Singleton’s oak spale baskets. The suggestion that the basket was made by Singleton has been crossed out on the MERL 'Catalogue of baskets' form, indicating it was made by E. Hughes., MERL 'Catalogue of baskets' form – 'NAME: Basket, COCKLE (E. Hughes) // Acc. No.: 60/465 // Group: Harvesting // Neg. no.: 60/3677 & 60/3519 // Place of origin: Monmouth // Period in use: // Brit. [British] Council // DESCRIPTION // Materials: Oak spale or spelk. // Shape and construction: A frame basket of very stout construction. 2 hoops of hazel oblong cross each other, one making the rim & the other the handle & bottom. 8 spelks either side of handle 3/4”–1” wide. 29 rows woven spelk 1/2” wide at rim & 1 1/2” wide at bottom. // Dimensions: LT. [length of top] 19” WT. [width of top] 14”// Use: For gathering cockles on estuary sands. The open weave allows water & sand to pass freely. // Dialect names: // Distribution: // Additional notes: See Vic. Co. Hist. Lancs. [‘Victoria County Histories, Lancashire’] Vol. 2. p.411. Morecombe Bay. (attached card & Pall Mall Magazine. Sept. 1898. Cockle gathering at Cork.', MERL ‘Country Craftsmanship’ Exhibition Catalogue, 2 May–31 October 1961, ‘Introductory Note’ by Andrew Jewell – ‘The objects shown in this Exhibition of Country Craftsmanship were originally purchased by the British Council in 1946. They were selected for exhibition in Australia and New Zealand as samples of traditional handcrafts which were then being practised in the British countryside. The Museum of English Rural Life was fortunate to acquire this valuable collection from the Council and to have the opportunity of displaying such a wide variety of skills. // Almost all the crafts shown are still to be found in this country although, in the intervening fifteen years, many of the small firms and individual craftsmen whose products are represented in the Exhibition, have given up working. The number who now remain to carry on these particular traditional crafts continues to decline with the growth of mechanization, the obsolescence of their products and the difficult of finding apprentices to follow them. // All the objects on display have one characteristic in common – they were made to be used. Any aesthetic qualities which the craftsman achieved grew without self-consciousness. Over long years of apprenticeship the craftsman developed an intimate knowledge of the raw material at his disposal and its peculiarities. He acquired by inheritance the methods of his craft which may have had a continuous tradition over centuries of time. And he was quite familiar with the way in which his product was to be used. // We can derive pleasure simply by looking at the shapes and decorations. Both, however, are inseparable from function and environment, and the objects can only be most fully appreciated by an understanding of the purpose for which each was intended. // This, then, is an exhibition of everyday things, made by men and women who might not think of themselves as artists, but whose work, nevertheless, has enriched the daily life of those who live with their products.’, MERL ‘Country Craftsmanship’ Exhibition Catalogue, 2 May–31 October 1961, p.20 – ’224. Cockle Basket used for gathering shellfish. This is an oak spale basket. See also 231–4. // (E. Hughes, Monmouthshire.), British Council ‘Exhibition of Rural Handicrafts from Great Britain’ Exhibition Catalogue, 1946, ‘Introductory Note’ – ‘This exhibition contains only examples of handicrafts that are still being practised in the British Countryside. It is confined to the work of our traditional craftsmen and women who, with very few exceptions, would not think of themselves as artists or designers but whose work, nevertheless, so greatly enriches the daily life of those who live with and use their products. The work of these craftsmen, too, provides the basis from which many artist-craftsmen gain technical knowledge and inspiration. // Included with these rural crafts are eight screens showing handicraft processes which can be undertaken by schools or adults who wish to practise a craft at home. In this way we hope these examples of Britain’s country crafts may be related to a practical aspect of present day life in the Dominions and meet the increasing need to find satisfying ways of using the leisure which machinery now makes available to us. // Along with her traditional rural crafts Great Britain seeks to employ all the resources of modern agricultural science and engineering. We have therefore included with this exhibition some photographs showing examples of recent developments in agricultural machinery.’, British Council ‘Exhibition of Rural Handicrafts from Great Britain’ Exhibition Catalogue, 1946, p.42 – ’27. Cockle gatherer's Basket, oak spale. E. Hughes, Monmouthshire.', British Council Ref. No. NZ 27.
