71/224

Worcestershire pot,

Bertram Jelfs (Manufacturer)

This type of basket, known as a ‘Worcestershire pot’, was used for transporting fruit and vegetables to market. It is a standard basket, weighing 8 lbs, and holding 72 lbs of plums, 56 lbs of apples, potatoes and other root crops, or 40lbs of green vegetables. It would take an experienced basketmaker one hour to make. This one was made by Bertram Jelfs, a basketmaker from Warmley in Bristol, in 1970 or 1971. It is rectangular in shape, and made of unstripped green willow woven over 25 white willow stakes (traditionally, these were of brown willow), with white willow handles and thick brown willow corner stakes.

1 basket: willowBrown upright stakes would normally have been used in England, but Bertram Jelfs was unable to get hold of any. Therefore, he settled for white stakes, normally used by Dutch basketmakers.

MERL 'Handwritten accession' form (Museum of English Rural Life) – 'Standard museum name: WORCESTERSHIRE POT BASKET // Accession number: 71/224 // … // Recorder: JMB // Date: 30.11.98 // Description: This fruit and vegetable travelling basket is rectangular in shape. It is made from unstripped green willow woven over 25 white willow uprights. The handles are made from white willow and the corners from thick brown willow // These baskets cost 10d to make and sold for 2/3d. An experienced sighted maker could make one in an hour. // Dimensions: Length: 50 cm // Width: 40 cm // Height: 38.0 cm // Handles: 18 x 6 cm // Associated information: This basket was made by Bertram Jelfs, Warmley, Bristol (see attached letter). It was a standard basket made in 1970–71 and known as a Worcestershire Pot Basket. Brown stakes would normally be used if available (The Dutch used white stakes). Price 2/3d each. // Used for packing fruit and vegetables in transit to the Market. // These baskets held 72lbs of plums, 56lbs of apples, potatoes or other root crops, 40lbs of green vegetables. The basket on its own would weigh about 8lbs and this was taken into account when weighing the produces.’, Letter, Bertram Jelfs to Dorothy Wright, 3 March 1971 – ‘I’m sorry the Worcestershire Pot has white stakes as English Basketmakers always used brown (the Dutch used white & scallomed up) but I simply have no brown that size on hand… // One “Worcestershire Pot”. A hamper used for packing fruit & vegetables in for transit to market. // Held 72lbs of plums, 56lbs of apples, potatoes & other root crops, 40 lbs of “Green” vegetables. // The hamper when made should weigh 8 lbs which was added on to produce when weighing up. // During the period between the Wars these baskets were sold for 2/3 each, the wage for making was 10d. An experienced sighted worker could make one in an hour.’

Warmley

1970 - 1971

Basket, fruit, Basket, vegetable

Wright, Dorothy (Agent)