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George Rippengale (Maker)

Clothes brush made by George Rippengale, horseman at Delvyns Farm, Gestingthorpe. Using hair from his own horses and the back of an old brush.
This clothes brush was made by George Rippengale, who was horseman at Delvyns Farm, Gestingthorpe, Essex. He made it for his wife, using hair from his own horses and the back of an older dandy brush. The bristles are brown in the centre, and grey around the outside, and according to the donor, Rippengale usually had 2 to 3 grey horses in his team. Rippengale's wife gave the brush to the donor after her husband's death in 1946.

clothes brush: wood; horse hair

MERL 'Catalogue index' card – 'Clothes Brush // Period // Late 19th or early 20th century // .. // This hand made clothes brush was made by George Rippingale, a horseman of Gestingthorpe, Halstead, Essex, and presented to his wife about 1900. Mrs. Rippingale passed it on to Miss Oates after the death of her husband about 1946. George Rippingale worked at Delvyns Farm Gestingthorpe for at least fifty years and was over eighty when he died. // The brush is 9 1/2 inches long and 4 inches broad. It is 3 inches deep and the back of an old dandy brush was used in the making. The bristles are made of hair from Rippingale's own horses and consist of an outer fringe of grey round a central body of dark brown.', MERL ‘Associated information’ form – 'Age. // 50 years approx. // Who made it and where? // George Rippingale, Gestingthorpe, Halstead, Essex. // Who used it and where? // George Rippingale made it of the hair from his horses and gave it to his wide, who after his death gave it to me. // Any other information // G. Rippingale was horseman at Delvyns Farm Gestingthorpe for at least 50 years. He died about 1946 aged over 80. You will note the grey horse hair there were usually 2 or 3 grey horses in his team.'

Delvyns Farm [Gestingthorpe]

1875 - 1924