64/67

Ward basket,

This hospital basket, also known as ‘ward basket’ and a ‘4”-hole Winchester with a slot’, was made at the Royal London School for the Blind. It is a square basket, made of white willow and cane, with a twisted cross handle. The basket is divided by partitions into four square sections, into which bottles would be put, and a slot, into which a chart would be put. This type of basket was in use until the 1960s. The Royal London School for the Blind produced and supplied baskets of this type by order.

1 basket: willow (white); caneBaskets with partitions such as this are known as Winchesters. The central slot would have held a chart of some description, whilst the 4 square corner holes would have held bottles.

Pre-MERL list / description – '[insert] 64/63-69 [end insert] Coming from the ROYAL LONDON SCHOOL FOR THE BLIND. ['ROYAL LONDON SCHOOL FOR THE BLIND' underlined] // [insert] via Miss D. Wright [end insert] // 1.) Hawker's basket. ['Hawker's basket' underlined] Supplied by order to London Street flower sellers. [ink sketch] [insert] 64/63 [end insert] // 2.) Stable Basket. ['Stable basket' underlined] Cane [ink sketch] [insert] 64/64 [end insert] // 3.) Notched Plate Basket. ['Notched Plate Basket' underlined] Used on board ship for clean plates. [ink sketch] [insert] 64/65 [end insert] // 4.) Baker's Basket. ['Baker's Basket' underlined] ( modern version of the Pouch. [ink sketch] [insert] 64/66 [end insert] // 5.) 4-hole Winchester with slot. ['4-hole Winchester' underlined] Used on hospital wards (obsolete). [ink sketch] [insert] 64/67 [end insert] // 6.) 'Humper' or Dust Basket. [''Humper' or Dust Basket' underlined] Carried on the shoulder. Cane. [ink sketch] [insert] 64/68 [end insert] // 7.) Builder's Basket. ['Builder's Basket' underlined] Cane. [ink sketch] (the larger of the two with a body wale.) [insert] 64/69 [end insert].', MERL 'Catalogue of baskets' form – 'NAME: HOSPITAL WARD BASKET // Acc. No.: 64/67 // Group: SOCIETY // Neg. no.: 60/5944 // Place of origin: LONDON. Roy. Lon. [Royal London] School for the Blind. // Period in use: Until recently. // DESCRIPTION // Materials: White willow & cane. // Shape and construction: Square basket, a specimen of Partition Work, close-randed, with a heavy cane foot & upset & a twisted cross handle, tied with hide. The partitions consist of a slot 2” wide from side to side & two either side of it. Border is 5-behind-2. B.S.[number of bottom sticks] 5. St. [Number of stakes] 8.8. // Dimensions: Height: 9” Length: 15” Width: 13” // Use: For carrying bottles round the ward with a chart in the slot. // Dialect names: Trade Calls this a “4”-hole Winchester with a slot”. Known as a Ward Basket. // Distribution: // Additional notes:'

Greater London [region]

1964

Wood, willow, white, Plant fibre, rattan

Wright, Dorothy (Recorder)