Object number
52/191
Description
Flails were used to thresh crops separating the grain from the husks. This flail was used in Thaxted, Essex.
A flail is an agricultural tool used for threshing, to separate grains from their husks. They were used before the development of threshing machines. Threshing by flail provided winter work for labourers and was done on a threshing floor in a barn. A flail usually consists of a handle, a 'swingel' (the swinging part of the flail which hits the grain) and a 'swivel' joint to join the two together. This flail was used in Thaxted, Essex.
Physical description
1 flail: wood (beech and willow); leather; good condition
Archival history
MERL 'Catalogue index' card – ‘… // DATE ACQUIRED: // GROUP: // NEGATIVE: // PERIOD: // PLACE OF ORIGIN: // NUMBER: // DESCRIPTION: …‘ It is very roughly cut and the end is bound with leather nailed to the wood. The two parts are joined by a leather thong. This flail was originally owned and used by Charles Mumford of Thaxted, Essex, who died in 1949 at the age of 78. //
Production date
1800-01-01 - 1899-12-31
Production period
Nineteenth century
Object name
Material
Associated subject
