2019/94

This metal pulley tool was used by poultry processing business Cope & Cope. Cope & Cope produced a variety of equipment aimed at the processing of poultry in factories, including plucking and packing, exporting globally as well as within the UK. The company was established in the 19th century and rapidly mechanised with the times, ensuring an increasing global demand for food was met through equipment that allowed an increasing number of birds to be processed. Whilst this pulley was labelled as a 'food parcel dropping mechanism' possibly corresponding with the information donated regarding the companys' part in Operation Manna, this pulley does not match the style of hook described in the attached illustration. It is likely that this pulley is a more modern design, post-Second World War and potentially late 20th Century. It is inscribed with 'MK. 111A // 11A/1349'.

1 pulley tool: metal

Museum Object Entry Form - 'MUSEUM NAME: Museum of English Rural Life // Form No: 510 // Received from: [...] // DESCRIPTION OF OBJECT COLLECTION // * Model dredging boat - poss. object collection or for offer to other places // * Food parcel dropping mechanism // * Standard evisceration shackle // * Trolley from processing line // } For object collection // * Archive papers, photographs, trade records, etc associated with history of Cope & Cope & related companie (to be passed to archives) // Total no. of items: 4 objects + lots of archive papers // REASON FOR ENTRY: Gift', Email, Nigel Cope to Rachael Rogers, 20 September 2018 - 'Hi Rachel // As you say this is a humane poultry killer and works by dislocating the neck. Cope & Cope made these in Reading for many years. When the neck was dislocated the blood stayed in the neck skin (so the blood did not discharge from the head of the bird and congealed in a lump in the neck). // The catalogue I have sent you of the EFTA Mk.2, is one of the first disc plucking machines ever used for on-line plucking and revolutionised the industry; instead of hand plucking or using a drum plucker – this was the first stages of automation with line speeds of 500-1000 birds per hour possible. This coincided with the introduction of the American ‘broiler’ chicken and chickens started to be more widely available at a more affordable price due to lower production costs. // I have hundreds of old black and white photographs of machinery we made and will post you a small sample. If you are putting together further items for your collection, I have a couple of pieces you might be interested in , i.e. an incubator and a 1950’s plucking machine and if you are interested in meeting up I would be happy to do so. I have been involved in the industry all my life as was my father before me. // Regards // Nigel Cope', Email, Rachael Rogers to Nigel Cope, 19 September 2019 - 'Good afternoon, // I was forwarded your details by a contact at Sedgbeer Processing, who believes that you may be able to help with our enquiry. // I am currently working to identify a recent donation that we have acquired, a poultry neck dislocator with a neck clamp attached by a spring. It has three cones for different sizes of birds, and the upper lip of the cone is embossed with ‘PATENTED’ and there is evidence of there having been a sticker below this which is now missing. // Having contacted one of Sedgbeer’s previous owners, he believes that this object may in fact be a Cope & Cope killing cone stand. Because it is such an unusual object and certainly not recognisable by the average museum visitor, it would be hugely beneficial to know the text on the missing decal/sticker, so we could possibly replicate it and fix it to our object. If you have any information to confirm this provenance/source of manufacture, we would be most grateful. // I have attached images of the item to this email. // Many thanks, // Rachael Rogers', Miscellaneous note – 'Hi Rachel // This was written in the early 70's by my uncle - I thought it might be interesting reading for you prior to our meetup // BACKGROUND AND HISTORY OF POULTRY PROCESSING [document in object history file 2019/94-96], Illustration – A Punch Magazine style cartoon illustration of Operation Manna, featuring 12 men removing food parcels from a bomber. The image shows the parels breaking and food and drink items falling to the ground. One man is stuck in a sack, suspended from the plane. 'A NIGHTMARE IMPRESSION OF A TASK WELL DONE // WITH THANKS FROM H.Q. BOMBER COMMAND // TO THOSE WHO MADE IT POSSIBLE // "PSALM 78, VERSES 23-25".', Letter, R.W. Cope to Mr D.E. Murray, 24 June 1985 – 'COPE & COPE LIMITED // Registered office VASTERN HOUSE, 57, VASTERN ROAD, READING, RG1 8BX telephone [...] // RWC/ADC // 24th June 1985. // [...] // Dear Mr Murray, // Thank you for your etter dated 21st June and I was interested to read of the article in Readers Digest of which you write. // I prsonally was out in Holland at the time to which you refer bu I can remember my father telling me with much pride about the dropping of food parcels in Europe. // John Cotton, Bill Cope and Gerald Whelon have long since fallen casualties to the passage of time and I myself am on the point of retirement. It all seems so long ago. // I enclose herewith a copy of a cartoon we have, recording the event and no doubt you have one of the original copies yourself. // Mr Donald Clack who was John Cotton's assistant is still with us and he tells me that he probably has the contract number and date in some noebooks at home. he is going to have a search and I will write and let you know the outcome. // You may therefore look forward to hearing further from me. // Yours sincerely, // R.W. Cope // PS. Of course my brother Cecil who was involved in the project is still in the company but at the time of writing he is away in Ireland. He may have some information and I will ask him when he gets back. // [page break] // CONTRACT ARM 7243/C.41 (b) // DATED 19TH APRIL 1945 // ACCOUNTING UNIT 14 m.u. // ITEM 1. QUANTITY 250,000. HOOKS FOR CONTAINERS SMALL BOMB // " 2 " 100,000 " " " " // DRG. N: RD ARM X 1. 4030. STORES REF: 11A/3204 // 1ST DELIVERY 5000 ON 24TH APRIL 1945 // LAST OF 41ST DELIVERY 2000 ON 14TH JUNE 1945 // PRICe £14-11-8 PER 1000 // PROVISIONAL PRICE 23.6.45 // 41) 350,000 = 8536 PER BATCH (HIGHEST PRODUCTION RATE REACHED 13000 PER DAY) // COPE & COPE LTD Ref AMC 57 // [ink sketch] // 6 GAUGE HARD STEEL WIRE // FULL SIZE', Letter, Mr D.E. Murray to The Managing Director, Cope and Cope Ltd., 21 June 1985 - 'Dear Sir, // In the May 1985 issue of Readers Digest there was an article entitled " Victory in Europe" written in commemoration of the 40th anniversary of VE Day May 8th 1945. // Among the episides recalled was "Operation manna" which involved dropping food parcels in various forms from British and American bomber aircraft to the people of Holland who had been cut off in the last stages of the war by the flooding of much of the country when the retreating Nazis opened the dykes leaving the people marooned and starving on islands, trees, and rooftops. // In order to carry out Operation Manna, it was necessary to provide many thousands of hooks like large meat hooks so that the food parcels could be suspended from the aircraft bomb carriers. // At the relevant time I was a Production Officer in the Ministry of Aircraft Production at Thames House and was responsible for production of all types of Aircraft Bomb Carriers and Rocket Projectors. Your firm very efficiently carried out much of this work and your cooperation was highly appreciated. Your highly respected representative Mr. Johnny Cotton was a frequent visitor to my office and we were considerable friends. // [...] // The object of writing this letter to you is to enquire whether you can help by supplying from your old records (or even, perhaps, unearthing the original contract) details of the date of the contract, the quantity on contract, the date of your first delivery and the rate of delivery also the cost of the hooks. If you ar able to provide a copy of the drawing for the hooks and/or a sample this would be most helpful. Any other relevant details you may care to provide would be greatly appreciated. Some firms, for example made a write-up of their wartime activities. // [...] // Yours sincerely, // D.E. Murray'

Cope and Cope Ltd ()