63/172

Stanley Bird (Manufacturer)

This eel trap, used for catching eels, was made by Stanley Bird of Great Yarmouth, Norfolk and given to the Museum by the Rural Industries Bureau. This type of eel trap was baited, weighted so that it would sink, and tethered to the bank of a river. It is made of cane, both round and split, with steel rings and galvanised wire. It is bottle shaped, with a cork bung fitted to the neck to make a non-return valve. Other names for the eel trap include ‘eel pot’ in Norfolk, ‘putcher’ in Gloucestershire, ‘grig’ in Sussex, the Fens, Oxfordshire and the River Severn, and ‘hive’ in Cambridgeshire.

1 trap: wood (cane, cork); metal (steel); wire; good condition.

Rural Industries Bureau label – ‘DESCRIPTION OF ARTICLE: BOTTLE SHAPE EEL TRAP. B.67 // PRICE. £1–15s.–0d. // DATE. April 1961 // NAME OF CRAFTSMAN. Stanley Bird. // ADDRESS. 25–27, Friars lane, Great Yarmouth. Norfolk.’, MERL 'Catalogue of baskets' form – 'NAME: Trap (eel, basketwork) // Acc. No.: 63/172 // Group: FISHING. FRESHWATER. // Neg. no.: 60/4721–2 // Place of origin: Great Yarmouth. Norfolk // Period in use: see below. // DESCRIPTION // Materials: Cane, round & split. 2 steel rings. 2 lengths galvanised wire. // Shape and construction: A bottle-shape, similar to 63/606. 19 stakes. A non-return valve created by putting a cork bung in the neck. // Dimensions: Length: 29” Diam. neck. 6” Diam. bottom: 11” diam. funnel inside: 3” // Use: For catching eels. Baited, weighted & tethered to the bank of a river. // Dialect names: Eel pot. Norfolk. Grig: Sussex. Fens. Oxon. [Oxfordshire] Severn. Hive: Cambs. // Distribution: // Additional notes: The trapping of eels goes back to the earliest times. 12th C. Jocelin de Brakeland’s Cheon. (Hist [History] File) // 13th C. Many refs. in Domesday. Eel fisheries valuable. // Markham. Gervase [Markham, Gervase, ‘A Way to Get Wealth’. London, 1660]. See Notebook I. p. 56 // Illust. PWH. II.'

Great Yarmouth

1961 - 1961

Trap, eel, Basketwork

Plant fibre, rattan, Wood, Metal, steel

Rural Industries Bureau (Corporate Body)
Mahoney, E. W. (Agent)
Elson, M. (Agent)
Wright, Dorothy (Recorder)