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A barrel tapper was used to drive a barrel tap into the bung hole of a barrel when the beer was ready to be used. The tapper consists of a wooden head, used to deliver several sharp blows to the tap, a lead handle, and a leather thong so that it could be hung from the wrist. Nothing is known of the origins of this barrel tapper. The handle is marked with the number '48'.

1 Barrel Tapper; Wood & Metal Lead; Good Condtion

MERL 'Catalogue index' card – 'This implement was used to drive the taps, either wooden or brass (see 51/629L) into the sides of barrels when the beer was ready to be used. The narrow end of a tap was driven into the bung hole of a barrel with several sharp blows of the tapper. // It consists of a wooden handle 15.5 inches in length, on which is set a head of lead 6.5 inches long and 1.75 inches in diameter. The lead is nailed to the wooden handle and is gouged with the marks of many blows. There is a leather thong threaded through the end of the handle so that the tapper can be hung from the wrist.', No Lavinia Smith No. recorded.

Wood, Metal, lead

Rippon, Miss Dorothy May Lyddon (Agent)