Object number
65/7
Description
This is a pole axe, which was used to fell or stun animals when they were being slaughtered. This axe was kept by George Woode, local family butcher of Halesworth, Suffolk.
Label Text
Pole axe. This pole axe was kept by a local family butcher in Halesworth, Suffolk. It was used to stun animals into unconsciousness during the slaughtering process, in order to reduce their suffering. However, as it depended on the strength of the wielder to be effective, it was not a particularly humane method. Percussive bolt guns are now used which are more reliable. Using a poleaxe for stunning was outlawed by the 1933 Slaughter of Animals Act. Pole axes are perhaps better known for their use as a medieval weapon, as their weight and versatility made them effective against armoured knights.
Archival history
MERL ‘Handwritten catalogue’ form - ‘POLE AXE // Trades and Professions- Butcher // 65/7 // Mrs A. Naish // Kept behind door of slaughterhouse long after they were made illegal. See correspondence. // [pencil sketch].’
Object name
Associated subject
Associated person/institution
External document
- L:\MERL\Objects\JISC 2012\60 series negatives\60_7842.tif - High resolution image
