Tuesday 23 September 2008

Breamore House & Museum of Rural Life (II)

Do I detect a note of "OMG, not MORE photos from that bloomin' Museum" yet? Do tell me if your eyes are glazing over. I realize that what interests me must make other folk reach for the off button, but hey-ho - there are a few more to go yet!

This is a scene from the Dairy. If you look underneath the table, you will see a butterchurn of the sort that I have . In fact, my dear husband made me a top for it today, with a handle too, as I'd been nagging him for a few weeks now. It will go on display in the downstairs kitchen as we have plenty of room in the Inglenook down there. I am drawn to these things like I know them, so reckon I must have been around in a previous (Victorian) farm life . . .


A page from the farm wage book 1844. Towards the bottom you will see the name John Bryant. He is a relative of mine through marriage with the Bolt line from Devon.

Here are various old horsey bits and pieces. Top left is a docking iron (used pre 1948 for cutting horse's tails off short - e.g. through the tailbone). Then a pair of hobbles, then a tooth rasp, below that a syringe pump, curved trimming scissors, folding hoof pick bottom centre and then a sweat scraper. Above these centre is a very old fashioned mane comb and then two cauterising irons . . .

In the old saddler's shop, there was a mouldy slipper stirrup, which would have been used on a lady's side saddle.
The bit on the wall with the bent back mouthpiece is a Scamperdale Pelham - that sort of mouthpiece prevented the horse from getting a sore mouth if it was fussy in its mouth. The spikey object is actually not horsey at all, but would have been worn by a calf that the farmer wanted to wean. Needless to say, the mother would not have been at all impressed when the calf tried to suckle!

A long view of a corner of the saddler's shop, showing his tools. Leaning in the corner of the window, the cricket bat shaped object would probably have been used to flatten and even out the stuffing in the lining of a saddle or heavy horse collar.

Another long view across the shop, with all sorts of bits and pieces of saddlery. The seat has been covered with some Tattersall check flannel material which was usually employed on the lining of a work horse collar (when leather wasn't used).

An old Scotch collar (lined with the flannel) and a cart bridle. The snaffle bit would have been made by the blacksmith in Victorian times. How do I know it's Scotch? Because it goes up into a high point at the top. Normal English harness collars were rounded.

A display of thatching tools.

Traps - all sorts - from rat traps upwards. Across the bottom were two man traps.



Finally various weights and measures, including a chain which was used to measure the distance of the same name. It would be 22 yards long. 10 chains made a furlong; 80 chains one statute mile. Then there were rods, poles and perches . . .

5 comments:

nita x said...

lovely pictures and history jennie, looks like a really lovely few days you had :-)

Goosey said...

Really interesting stuff. I especially like that you found some paperwork with your family on it, was it already on that page or did you ask them to find it? I find family history fascinating it makes people come to life in a way and you can picture them from the details you find.

Goosey said...

It's me again! Back in August you kindly gave me an award on your blog which I wanted to pass on to other people but I am not very clever with the PC and haven't fathomed out how to do it yet! So I am sorry and I am grateful ...any tips would be gladly recieved!Have a good day Goosey x

Bovey Belle said...

OK Goosey - I have one to upload this morning, so I will take notes as I go along and get back to you!

Bovey Belle said...

I knew that John Bryant was on that page, but when I went to Breamore some years back to take photos for my 4th cousin in Oz, I was thrilled to be able to report that his rellie was in the book!