I have had a great morning going through all my collected quotes for historical sources with an idea to collate then into interesting quotes to the East Devon and Downton bobbin project.
Many will know that I regularly remind readers that we have no idea as to who made or decorated Devon Bobbins, but "low and Behold" I found this today, the quote comes from a visit to Beer. It is from Moody, Devon pillow Lace and how to make it... " ONLY a stone's throw from the room where the children have their lace lessons to-day stood the old lace school of Beer, where their grandmothers were .. "learned" at a fee of one penny a week. Next door to the school lived a "twisty and deformed" man, who eked out a scanty livelihood by making and decorating bobbins." It may be hard for you to imagine the "joy" that reference has given to a bobbin fanatic like me, but as I am locked down I might stop and watch silly TV for the rest of the day!! Smile (no I won't!) To be more serious, the fact is the Beer has a good reputation for the interest and quality of their bobbin decoration. Particularly for Maritime topics. The other thing is that we have never been sure that the "Maker" of the bobbin also "Decorated" it. Certainly, in this case, the maker also decorated it. I also found another quote relating to another thing that has been puzzling me and I have submitted an article about it to Webdocs, but I do not think it is up yet. The quandary was about the historical name for an East Devon/ Downton bobbin that I have been calling a "Trolly" bobbin. I have found a picture that has confirmed their name, but now I have found some text that gives some credence to the special type of bobbin it "could" be. The quote again comes from Moody and whilst it does not refer directly to the trolly bobbin we have become aware of being used in the Lace Areas of the South of England, it does refer to a bigger h e a v i e r bobbin being required for trolly lace and that certainly meets the requirements that the more modern bobbin has. Here is the quote "In the old days, when trolly lace required a heavier bobbin, one carved from the a small bone of a chicken's wing was used; and in an earlier period, again, some of the smaller bones from a pig's foot, upon which the thread was wound as on a reel." The only other historical person that actually gives us names of two bobbin makers is Gertrude Whiting. (quite my favourite bobbins writer) She wrote about a trip she had to Devon, and I am blowed if I can find that article and the two names. Grrr Perhaps I will watch TV after all!! Thanks to you few who read my posts, I do not think that one is quite as boring as some I have written Stay at Home and Keep your distance, wash your hands and don't crowd out Bondi Beach (Idiots). Brian - To unsubscribe send email to majord...@arachne.com containing the line: unsubscribe lace y...@address.here. For help, write to arachne.modera...@gmail.com. Photo site: http://www.flickr.com/photos/lacemaker/sets/
