Object number
79/14
Creator
Description
Farm gate model; 2 uprights, 5 horiztonal bars, 4 diagonal bars. Made by J. G. Briant, fence and gate-maker at P E S Litterdale Baynes (Reading).
A wooden model of a farm gate with two uprights, five horiztonal bars and four diagonal bars. It was made by Mr J. G. Briant, fence- and gate-maker at P E S Litterdale Baynes (Reading) Ltd. The firm did a lot of fencing work for farms, estates, motorways and so on.
Label Text
Enclosing and controlling // Boundaries and access points play a vital role in the history of rural England. Fencing meant land could be enclosed and the rights of people and animals managed more easily. Hedge slashers, hedging gloves, and (full-size) hurdles and gates all played their part in this process of control. // Across the British Empire land was routinely taken from local populations. These processes were enforced by marking parcels of land on maps and by the introduction of physical barriers and controls. // MERL 60/524, 60/559/1-2, 68/100, 79/14.
Archival history
MERL 'Handwritten accession' form (Institute of Agricultural History) – 'Standard museum name: Model gate // Accession number: 79/14 // … // Recorder: DJE // Date: 26.3.79 // Description: Model of farm gate made from wood // Dimensions: Length 23.0 cms // Depth 11.3 cms // Associated information: This model was made by Mr J G Briant, fence and gate maker of Baynes Ltd. – he retired about 10 years ago. The fencing dept. of Baynes closed down about 2 years ago. Up until then they had done a lot of fencing contracts for motorways, by-passes etc. Earlier work consisted of fencing large estates, fences gates etc for farmers. // Over the past 30 or so years the fencing department comprised 2 or three peiople in the office, 2 or 3 joiners and 6 gangs (each made up of 2 or 3 men) working on site.', Object history research, December 2022 - 'How can this object be described? A wooden model of a farm gate with two uprights, five horizontal bars and four diagonal bars. // What was this object used for? This is a model gate. Of the type made by P E S Litterdale Baynes (Reading) Ltd. It was made by Mr J. G. Briant, fence- and gate-maker at the firm. It was either an example gate or one made as a hobby after he retired. The firm did a lot of fencing work for farms, estates, motorways and so on. // How old is it? It was probably made in the 1970s. // Which other objects in the collection relate to the model fence? Artwork by Kate Genever includes a similar full-size fence [MERL 2018/47]. This scratch print shows a wooden fence with a metal 'throw-over' latch in the foreground. Behind this, in the background is the trunk of a tree. Some smaller of the tree's branches and twigs are visible in the foreground, entwined through the gate's metal latch.'
Production date
1970-01-01 - 1979-12-31
Production period
1970s
Object name
Associated subject
