Object number
54/127
Description
Hop dogs used to lift hop poles out of the ground, so that the picker could pick the crop. Used on Wilson Farm, Alton.
Hop dogs were used to lift hop poles out of the ground, so that the picker could pick the crop. They were usually attached to long poles, and this particular specimen was used on Wilson Farm, Alton and probably also at Will Hall Farm [Alton]. It is in the form of a serrated 'V'-shaped tool. Two pieces of metal, which would originally fit into the wooden pole, are found at right angles to the inner arm.
Physical description
1 Hops dog; metal [iron]; good condition
Archival history
MERL 'Catalogue index' card – ‘… // DATE ACQUIRED: // GROUP: // NEGATIVE: // PERIOD: // PLACE OF ORIGIN: // NUMBER: // DESCRIPTION: …‘ Hop dogs were used to lift hop poles out of the ground, so that the picker could pick the crop. They were usually attached to long poles, and this particular specimen was used on Wilson Farm, Alton. The catalogue to the Curtis Museum says 'The pole puller used to be given a shirt for his trouble by subscription among the hop pickers, when the work was finished. One pole puller was enough to keep twenty baskets employed. If hop land was sold in early summer it was described as being in full pole.' // This iron hop dog is in the form of a serrated V-shaped tool, which measures 9.2 inches high on the inner arm and 8.5 inches high on the outer arm. Two pieces of metal, which would originally fit into the wooden pole, are found at right angles to the inner arm. Each are 3.0 inches long. //
Object name
Material
Associated subject
