Object number
55/210/1-2
Description
A bobbin winder was used to wind cotton from the skein onto bobbins reading for making lace. The donor’s grandmother made lace as a child and used to borrow a bobbin winder before this one came into her possession in 1870. She used it in her home of Fringford, Oxfordshire, until her death in 1890. There are two dates marked on the winder – 1794, when it was made, and 1816, when it was brought to Fringford.
Physical description
1 bobbin winder: wood; good condition
Archival history
MERL ‘Associated information’ form – ‘The long arm (now tied to the base) was put out straight. The cross was put on the peg at the end of the arm. Four short pegs were fixed in the holes in the square (according to size of skein of cotton). A bobbin was fitted into the hollow tube with paper wound round it to keep it in place. The wheel turning wound the cotton onto the bobbin from the skein on the pegs. A man used to come from Buckingham to bring fresh skeins of cotton and collect and finished lace and bring orders and to supply the parchments strips of patterns. Two of the bobbins have Caroline Mabley and Amelia Hight on them – but Mrs Helen Dean (now 83) granddaughter of Mrs R. Butler does not remember them.’
Production date
1794-01-01
Object name
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Technique
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Associated subject
Associated person/institution
External document
- L:\MERL\Objects\JISC 2012\60 series negatives\60_720.tif - High resolution image