Object number
96/65
Title
Sail Reapers, Fosdyke, Aug 28th 1931,
Creator
Description
A pencil drawing, partially inked over, by Thomas Hennell (1903–45) entitled 'Sail Reapers, Fosdyke, Aug. 28th 1931'. It shows three reaping machines cutting a field of cereals; the machine in the foreground is a sail reaper drawn by three horses. It was purchased from the artist's sister.
Physical description
1 drawing; pencil and ink on paper; good condition
Label Text
<DIV STYLE="text-align:Justify;font-family:Georgia;font-style:normal;font-weight:normal;font-size:16;color:#000000;"><P><SPAN><SPAN>3. <B>'Sail' reapers, 1931</B><P>Self-raking, or sail reapers, dispensed with the man needed on earlier machines to rake the cut crop onto the ground. The design work was completed by the early 1860s and from then on, until the arrival of the binder, this type of machine was popular with farmers. Mounted on a shaft connected to the main drive wheel, the four rake arms swept the crop onto the cutter bar, and then across the table and onto the ground at the rear.<P>Although technically superseded by binders later in the nineteenth century, sail reapers continued in use on many farms well into the twentieth century. This is a pen and ink drawing of 1931 by Thomas Hennell showing a pair of sail reapers at work.<P>96/65</SPAN></SPAN></P></DIV><DIV STYLE="text-align:Justify;font-family:Georgia;font-style:normal;font-weight:normal;font-size:16;color:#000000;"><P><SPAN><SPAN>3. <B>'Sail' reapers, 1931</B><P>Self-raking, or sail reapers, dispensed with the man needed on earlier machines to rake the cut crop onto the ground. The design work was completed by the early 1860s and from then on, until the arrival of the binder, this type of machine was popular with farmers. Mounted on a shaft connected to the main drive wheel, the four rake arms swept the crop onto the cutter bar, and then across the table and onto the ground at the rear.<P>Although technically superseded by binders later in the nineteenth century, sail reapers continued in use on many farms well into the twentieth century. This is a pen and ink drawing of 1931 by Thomas Hennell showing a pair of sail reapers at work.<P>96/65</SPAN></SPAN></P></DIV>
Archival history
MERL 'Handwritten accession' form (Museum of English Rural Life) – 'Standard museum name: Ink & Pencil Drawing // Accession number: 96/65 // … // Recorder: RB // Date: 22–4–96 // Description: Pencil drawing, partially inked over, showing three reaping machines cutting a field of cereals. // The machine in the foreground is a sail reaper drawn by three horses, and with one man sitting above the draught pole of the machine, another astride the leading horse. // Drawn by Thomas Hennell (1903–45). // Written at the bottom of the drawing by the artist: ‘Sail Reapers, Fosdyke, Aug, 28th 1931 // Dimensions: 46 cm x 30.9 cm // Associated information: Picture was intended as a book illustration. On the reverse are instructions to the printer. // Purchased … from the artist’s sister, Miss Elizabeth Hennell via Mr M. MacLeod. // References: MacLeod, M. Thomas Hennell, Cambridge University Press, 1988’, MERL Miscellaneous note - A version of this was image was published in [T. Hennell, Change in the Farm (Cambridge : Cambridge University Press) 1936] - The Bamlett 'Sailer' (Lutton Banks, Lincs) (pp 207)
Production place
Fosdyke
Production date
1931-08-28 - 1931-08-28
Object name
Material
Technique
Associated subject
Associated person/institution
