Object number
64/211
Exhibition
Description
This basketwork fire hose strainer, also known as a 'balloon', comes from Saint Ives, Cambridgeshire. It is a tall, narrow, round basket which widens sharply at the top and is made of buff willow. Fire strainers were placed on the end of the hose of a fire engine to strain the water, which was often taken from a nearby pond and therefore contained debris.
Physical description
1 basket: buff willow
Label Text
Strainer Basket // This was designed to cover the end of a fire hose. // Fire officers sometimes need to pump extra water from ponds or rivers. baskets like this stop debris from blocking the hose. // This item has never been used.
Archival history
MERL 'Catalogue of baskets' form – 'NAME: STRAINER (Fire hose, basketwork) J. Harrison // Acc. No.: 64/211 // Group: SOCIETY – Protection – fire // Neg. no.: 60/5935 // Place of origin: Huntingdonshire. // Period in use: Present // DESCRIPTION // Materials: Buff willow // Shape and construction: A tall narrow round basket, widened sharply at 11” with a band of 5 wales on the inside & then 6 on the outside, finished with a 3-behind-1 border. Side ? randed. Very strongly made. BS. [number of bottom sticks] 5. St. [number of stakes] 20. 5 rounds upsett. // Dimensions: Height 15” Diam. top: 10” Diam. bottom 7” // Use: On the hose of a fire engine for straining water. // Dialect names: Balloon // Distribution: General // Additional notes: see 64/215', MERL miscellaneous note – A member of the Worshipful Company of Basketmakers visiting in May 2019 noted that such strainers are also called 'stroms'.
Object name
Material
Technique
Associated subject
Associated person/institution
External document
- L:\MERL\Objects\JISC 2012\60 series negatives\60_5935.tif - High resolution image
- L:\MERL\Objects\Baskets\64_211_cob.tif - High resolution image
