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A scoop with a long ash handle, used in digging drainage ditches. Made by a blacksmith in Uffington, Oxfordshire.
An iron scoop with a long ash handle, used in digging drainage ditches. The donor’s husband, Henry E. J. Packer, who retired circa 1970, was the third generation of the Packer family to work at the forge in Uffington, Oxfordshire. This scoop was taken from the donor's garden shed in Uffington, which was next door to the forge.

MERL 'Handwritten accession' form (Institute of Agricultural History) – 'Recorder: DJE // Date: 7.1.82 // Description: Iron scoop with long ash handle // Dimensions: length of scoop 31.5 cms // overall length 173 cms // Associated information: Taken from the garden shed at the above address [Uffington]. ‘Curtis Cottage’ is next door to the forge formerly run by the Packer Family.’, Notes from interview with Mrs Packer, 1 December 1981 – ‘Uffington Forge // 3 generations of the Packer family worked in the forge at Uffington. The first was Henry Packer who came from Sparsholt. His son was John Becket Packer who gave his name to the business. His brother was a wheelwright. He died aged about eighty, and left the forge to this son, Henry Earnest [sic] John Packer, husband of the donor. He died in November 1981 aged seventy nine, but had retired around 1970. The business then closed down leaving Uffington without a blacksmith or farrier. // Henry E.J. Packer employed three to four men and they did a variety of work such as tractor and plough repairs involving welding, and wrought iron work as well as providing the service of farrier. In 1930 at the ‘Annual Farriery Competition, organised by Berks, Co. Co. [Berkshire County Council], Henry E.J. Packer won first prize. A year later at the Royal Counties Agricultural Society Show at Portsmouth, he won the ‘shoemaking novice’ prize. // Around 1969 Henry E.J. Packer donated three account books covering the period 1896–1903, 1925–1942 (Farm Record Coll. BER 39).’