92/8

Family Elwell (Manufacturer)

A billhook is an edge tool used in hedging, coppice work and other woodland trades – the tool shows great regional variety with each area having its own accepted pattern and shape. This is a Hampshire Moss billhook. It has a long, slender, curved blade and a wooden handle. The blade is made from high-quality steel and has been hammered from a solid bar. The billhook is inscribed 'Elwell 3711 10' and was made in Wednesbury, Staffordshire. It is part of the Rumble Collection.

1 Hampshire moss billhook: wood; metal; good condition

MERL miscellaneous note, Greta Bertram, 25 October 2013 – The objects 92/2–92/68 are part of the Rumble Collection, and were donated to the Museum by Mr Rumble in July 1991. The objects were collected or purchased by Mr Rumble or his father, and most of them came from either Camberley, in Surrey, or Somerset, where Mr Rumble had previously lived. He kept his collection in the shed at the bottom of his garden in Woodley., MERL 'Handwritten accession' form (Institute of Agricultural History) – 'Recorder: JMB // Date: 7.8.92 // Description: HAMPSHIRE MOSS BILLHOOK // Long slender curved billhook with a wooden handle. // Inscription: ELWELL 3711 10 // On label: THIS TOOL IS MADE FROM HIGH QUALITY TESTED STEEL AND IS HAMMERED FROM THE SOLID BAR ELWELL THE TOOL THAT KEEPS ITS EDGE FULLY WARRANTED // Dimensions: Length: 42.0 cm // Associated information: One of a collection of tools given by Mr Rumble. Mostly collected or purchased by him or his father. // References: TR MRL P2B 44 p.21’

Wednesbury

Wood, Metal