Object number
63/265
Description
This wooden pig carcass hanger, for hanging the carcasses of slaughtered pigs, came from Messrs Cook & Sons Ltd., a slaughtering business in Wedmore, Somerset. The business closed down circa 1939. Each end of the hanger has several ridges, which accommodated different sizes of pig.
Physical description
carcass hanger: wood
Archival history
‘Notes Concerning a Visit to Wedmore on 9th October, 1963, and on the Material Collected’ by J. W. Anstee – ‘Messrs. Cook (of Wedmore) were one of two local businesses devoted to the slaughtering of all types of livestock and supplying the butchers of the district. The firm seems to have been going strong for at least 150 years (probably) in the same premises and appears to have been combined with various family smallholdings concerned with dairy and beef cattle, both on the higher ground and on the marsh pasture. In fact, like most other rural ‘yeoman’ families they seem to have had their fingers in many local pies. The family are well represented in the local churchyard for a long way back. // … // The business officially closed down at the beginning of the last war [World War II, i.e. 1939] when certain legislation took effect, but judging by the laughter involved when discussing the subject some illegal killing was done afterwards. // … // N.B. Cooks were proud of the fact that they had dealt in “English meat only”.’, Object history research, December 2022 -'How can this object be described? This is a thick piece of wood, slightly curved. It has a metal ring in the centre. Each side has five ridges. // What was this object used for? It was used for hanging the carcasses of slaughtered pigs. The ridges were used for different sizes of pig. Pig meat should only hang overnight to chill, before it is ready to be butchered. // Where did it come from? The hanger came from Messrs Cook & Sons Ltd., a slaughtering business in Wedmore, Somerset. The business killed all types of livestock and supplied butchers in the area. // How old is it? The hanger was made and used before 1939. The business closed down in the late 1930s due to new legislation coming into force requiring the use of humane stunners (Slaughter of Animals Act 1933). // Which other objects in the collection relate to the carcass hanger? This wooden sign [MERL 63/254] was fixed above the main entrance door of the slaughterhouse of Messrs Cook & Sons Ltd '
Object name
Material
Associated subject
Associated person/institution
External document
- L:\MERL\Objects\JISC 2012\60 series negatives\60_5618.tif - High resolution image
- L:\MERL\Objects\JISC 2012\Documents\Scans\63_254-272_doc_01.tif - High resolution image
- L:\MERL\Objects\JISC 2012\Documents\Scans\63_254-272_doc_02.tif - High resolution image
- L:\MERL\Objects\JISC 2012\Documents\Scans\63_254-272_doc_03.tif - High resolution image
- L:\MERL\Objects\JISC 2012\Documents\Scans\63_254-272_doc_04.tif - High resolution image
- L:\MERL\Objects\JISC 2012\Documents\Scans\63_254-272_doc_05.tif - High resolution image
- L:\MERL\Objects\JISC 2012\Documents\Scans\63_254-272_doc_06.tif - High resolution image