51/28

W. Bailey (Manufacturer)

Bill elve used for pecking the peg holes in roofing slates; the pegs held the slates in place.
The bill elve was used for pecking the peg holes in roofing slates; the pegs held the slates in place. The holes were made after the slates had been fashioned to the correct shape, ready for use.

1 bill elve: wood [ash] and metal [steel]; good condition (unused)

MERL 'Catalogue index' card – ‘BILL ELVE [‘(Slater's)’ Scored through] // DATE ACQUIRED: January, 1951 // GROUP: CRAFTS- STONE- SLATS // NEGATIVE: 35/71 // PERIOD: 1930 // PLACE OF ORIGIN: The H. J. Massingham Collection // NUMBER: 51/28M // DESCRIPTION: The bill elve was used for pecking the peg holes in roofing slates; the pegs held the slates in place. The holes were made after the slates had been fashioned to the correct shape. It consists of a wooden shaft through which a narrow spike of steel is thrust. The spike projects on both sides of the shaft for about 1 inch, and is glued in. The shaft is made of ash, and measures 10.25 inches in length. // This bill elve appears to be unused. It was made by William Bailey of King's Cliffe (Northants) in 1930. // cf. the Slat pick 51/26M.', MERL list / description [Massingham Collection, circa 1951] - 'Museum of English Rural Life // Equipment to be loaned to the Cotswold Tradition Exhibition // Cat Ref. No.: // 51/28 M // [tick] Slater's Bill Elve [Cleaned] [tick] ...', MERL list / description [Massingham Collection, circa 1951] - '[insert] MASSINGHAM FILE [end insert] // THE COTSWOLD TRADITION // AN EXHIBITION AT CIRENCESTER PARK // MAY-SEPTEMBER 1951 ... // RECEIPT. // Received with gratitude the following articles, collected from Reading University on the 29th April, 1951: // ... Bill Eloe. [Elve] ... // Loaned by The Massingham Collection.', MERL list / description [Massingham Collection, October 1989] – 'ACC. NO.: 51/28 // NAME: SLATER'S BILL ELVE] // NEG NO.: 35/71 // STORAGE: ', see also 51/26

King's Cliffe

1930 - 1930

Wood, ash, Metal, steel