51/126

Nothing is known of the origin of this carpet bag, although it probably belonged to a Gloucestershire tailor. It has a floral design of reds and greens on a fawn background, with a brown leather bottom on which there is a fragment of a Great Western Railways label ‘Cheltenham to…’ It had two leather handles (one is now missing) and has a heart-shaped lock at the top stamped with a crown, 'V. R.', 'Patent' and a star. This is the sort of bag that that a tailor would have used to carry the tools of his trade from one farm house to another.

1 bag: textile and leather

MERL 'Catalogue index' card – In the past most English villages were almost entirely self-supporting, supplying all the requirements of the people according to the standards of the times. The farming element provided the food; the craftsmen - the blacksmith, the wheelwright and the basketmaker - provided the tools of the farm and the utensils of the home. In addition there were a large number of tradesmen who undertook any work required by the inhabitants. These were travelling tinkers, millers, butchers and tailors. During the first half of the 20th century, village trades and industries greatly declined, and self-sufficiency was no longer the keynote of village life. The advent of cheap ready-made clothing for example almost killed off the working tailor, while travelling tinkers disappeared from the countryside. // Much of the work of the tailor was done in the farmhouse or cottages, where he would take his material and tools, being paid by the day for his services. He usually sat cross-legged on the kitchen table repairing old clothes or making new ones for the family. He was usually supplied by the housewife with patches, buttons and his food. It was in a bag such as this that he carried the tools of his trade from one farmhouse to the other. Nothing is known of the origin of this carpet bag, although it probably belonged to a Gloucestershire tailor. It measures 19 inches in length by 12 inches in height and the pattern on it is a floral one of reds and greens on a fawn base. The bottom of the bag is made of less pliable brown leather, on which is stuck a fragment of G.W.R. railway label 'Cheltenham to ...'. It once had a pair of leather handles, but one of these is now missing. A small brass heart shaped lock is found at the top, which is stamped with a crown, 'V.R' and the word 'Patent' together with a star in two places., MERL list / description [Massingham Collection, October 1989] – 'ACC. NO.: 51/126 // NAME: TAILOR'S BAG // NEG NO.: 35/155 // STORAGE: '

1875-01-01 - 1899-12-31

Late-nineteenth century

Fibre, Leather, Metal, brass