51/57

The shears were used by John Russells for shearing sheep for over 60 years on his farm at the foot of Langley Hill, Gloucestershire. They are inscribed with the maker’s name, ‘Walter Wilkinson’, on one side and with ‘Old Ram’ and a design of a ram and shears beneath on the other. They are of the same design as those used by thatchers.

1 pair of hand shears: metal; good condition

MERL list / description [Massingham Collection, circa 1951] - 'Museum of English Rural Life // Equipment to be loaned to the Cotswold Tradition Exhibition // Cat Ref. No.: // [tick] 51/57 M // [tick] Sheep Shears [Cleaned] [tick] ...', MERL list / description [Massingham Collection, circa 1951] - '[insert] MASSINGHAM FILE [end insert] // THE COTSWOLD TRADITION // AN EXHIBITION AT CIRENCESTER PARK // MAY-SEPTEMBER 1951 ... // RECEIPT. // Received with gratitude the following articles, collected from Reading University on the 29th April, 1951: // ... Shepherd's Shears. ... // Loaned by The Massingham Collection.', MERL list / description [Massingham Collection, October 1989] – 'ACC. NO.: 51/57 // NAME: SHEEP SHEARS // NEG NO.: 35/19 // STORAGE: ', These shears were given to Massingham by John Russells, who used to own a farm named the Innfield. [Added by Tim Jerrome for the Further Afield project, 2024]

Sheffield

1800-01-01 - 1899-12-31

Nineteenth century