74/131/4

A latchet hook, a type of hook used in making rag rugs out of pieces of wool. Stamped 'Made in England'.Part of the Hemeon Collection
A latchet hook, a type of hook used in making rag rugs out of pieces of wool. It consists of a metal hook and latch set in a round wooden handle. It was used to push the pieces of wool through the backing of the rug and knot them together. This hook is stamped 'Made in England'. It is part of the Hemeon Collection of rug-making tools and thrift rugs, and is associated with the samples 74/131/46–51.

1 latchet hook: metal, wood

MERL Catalogue Form (temporary) – ‘Object name: HOOK (LATCHET) // … // Notes: The latchet hook consists of a metal hook and latch – set in round wooden handle. This is used with throws [?] and rug canvas. Method is as follows:– // (1) Place wool doubled equally on shaft of hook // (2) Insert hook under double thread of canvas // (3) Place cut end of wool behind the latch and across under hook, pull hook down through canvas to form a knot // (4) Pull hook through loop bring cut ends with it // (5) Give a slight pull to make knot firm.’, MERL Miscellaneous Note, Greta Bertram, 10 December 2013 – The Hemeon Collection of rug-making tools and thrift rugs (74/131/1–74) was put together by Maidie F. Hemeon. Mrs Hemeon was interested in the tradition of ‘thrift’ rugs – rugs made using old fabrics and home-made or home-adapted tools. This type of rug has many names, including ‘rag’, ‘proddie’, ‘peggie’, ‘hooky’, ‘proggy’, ‘clippy’ and ‘bodgy’ rug. These rugs became widespread during the Industrial Revolution in the nineteenth century, but by the 1920s the craft was dying out except in areas of poverty or where tradition had a stronger hold. The necessity for thrift during World War II brought a brief revival, but it did not last long. Mrs Hemeon published a letter in the June 1970 edition of the Women’s Institute ‘Home & Country’ magazine in which she expressed her ambition to trace and preserve all the tools used in the craft before it was industrialised. She hoped to build up a display of samples, materials, tools and coloured photos of finished work in use, for demonstration, exhibition and educational purposes, and to simulate interest in making rag rugs as a living craft rather than as the remains of a dead one. She received many donations in response to the article, and in due course the collection came to MERL. It is likely that some of the samples in the collection were made by Mrs Hemeon. Further information can be found in the MERL Archives, D79/31.

Metal, Wood