83/33

This delivery basket was made to fit on a bicycle. It is made of buff willow and has sloped sides, with the back higher than the front. It belonged to Harry Barker, a baker in Wargrave, and was used for delivering bread to customers.

1 basket: willow

MERL ‘Stakeholders’ recording form, December 2013 – Object number: 83/33 // Name of recorder: Sue Kirk and Angie Tavernor // General construction method: Stake and strand // Overall shape: Square, with sloping sides. Higher at the back. // Materials: Buff willow. Base sticks 2-year old, 6-foot and 7-foot buff rods. Sides 9-foot side stakes, mixture of 5-foot to 8-foot rods. // Base: Rectangular base. 6 x 2-year old sticks. Paired on both ends. Butt ends started on two central base sticks. // Sides: 32 side stakes. 6 at short end. 10 stakes on long sides inserted through the base stakes. Outward flow. Started with a 3-rod wale on short sides. Rods crammed into the base and woven round 5 times. 12 rows of slewing with 5-foot buff. 1 round of French randing starting with tips and finishing with butt ends. Adds extra side stake at front side. 2nd round – starts with tips, with fewer rods to make a thinner band. Finishing with butts only 4 at the front, 1 on either side and the rest at the back and on the corners. 3rd round – French randing starting with tips, finishing with butts. Most tips at the front. 4th round – packing sides and back. 5th round – 3-rod wale all the way round. 6th round – packing with 8-foot buff up to height below border, giving sloping sides and right at the back. 7th round – 2 rounds of 3-rod wale. // Border: 4 rod behind 2 border, crammed at the end x6 at front edge. 6 twisted rod ties. One secures front cramming. // Handles: – // Lid: N/A // Dimensions: Top length 62cm. Top width 52cm. Back height 58cm. Front height 42cm. Base 37.5cm x 27cm. // Anything else to note about this particular basket: Front left blunt corner has a bistake inserted into the left corner stake. We think to regain control of the shape. Beautifully made, with uniformity of shape. // Anything else to note about this type of basket: –, MERL 'Handwritten accession' form (Institute of Agricultural History) – 'Standard museum name: BASKET, delivery // Accession number: 83/33 // … // Recorder: J. M. Betts // Date: 9.5.83 // Description: A willow basket with one side higher than the other. It is made to fit on a bicycle. // Dimensions: Height (back): 60.0 cm Height (front) 42.0 cm // Width: 61.0 cm Depth 43.0 cm // Associated information: This basket was used for delivering bread and belonged to Harry Barker, Baker of Wargrave who was born on 26.2.1872. // A photograph of Harry Barker & his wife as well as his shop were donated at the same time. See Photograph Collection TRADES & PROFESSIONS Baker’

Basket, delivery, Basket, bicycle

Kirk, Sue (Recorder)
Tavernor, Angie (Recorder)