66/261

Yard of butter basket,

Cooking in Action, Baskets - an exhibition of craftmen's work

William Shelley (Manufacturer)

This is a ‘yard of butter’ basket made for the Museum in 1965–1966 by William Shelley of Salisbury, Wiltshire. It is close-randed rectangular basket with a foot and a roped handle made of white willow. These baskets were used for selling butter which had been made into yard-long rolls. The seller would carry a set of wooden scales so that he could measure out the required quantities. These baskets seem to be peculiar to the eastern counties of England, and are known to have been in use in Cambridge in the nineteenth century.

1 basket: wood, willow

This is one of thirteen baskets ordered from William Shelley on 17 June 1965. The list of orders is as follows: 66/261, yard of butter; 66/262, doctor’s basket [specimen bottle basket]; 66/263, round fowl cage [poultry travelling basket]; 66/264, egg cage [egg basket]; 66/265, cowel [fish back pannier basket]; 66/266, cowel [fish back pannier basket]; 66/267, seedlip; 66/268, umbrella basket; 66/269, corn server [feeding basket]; 66/270, arch cage [pigeon basket]; duck basket; alligator basket; watercress flat., MERL 'Catalogue of baskets' form – 'NAME: BASKET (Yard of butter) // Acc. No.: 66/261 // Group: MARKETING DAIRY Produce BUTTER // Neg. no.: 60/7768 // Place of origin: Cambridgeshire. Place made: Copy made in Wiltshire Place distribution: E. Cos. [eastern counties] // Period in use: First mention in 1583 // DESCRIPTION // Materials: wood/White willow // Shape and construction: Rectangular. Close randed. 5-behind-2 border with a foot. Roped handle across the centre. 6 bottom sticks. 21 x 6 stakes & 4 corner sticks. Border: 5-behind-2. // Dimensions: 37” long. 11” high. // Use: For selling butter which was made into yard-long rolls. The seller carried a set of wooden scales. // Dialect names: Yard of butter basket // Distribution: Seems to have been peculiar to the Eastern counties. Method of selling was in use in Cambridge Colleges in 19th century. // Additional notes: // Maker: Wm. [William] Shelley'

Salisbury

1965 - 1966

Rural Industries Bureau (Agent)
Trust, Mr W. G. (Agent)
Wright, Dorothy (Recorder)
Leaver & Company