Ryedale Folk Museum

As it is the month of Valentines we thought we would share with you some of the love themed objects from our Harrison Collection. Pin Cushion - 1830s A layered pin cushion, patterned with rose, shamrock and thistle designs. It also has the words “May God Protect, Thy Mother Dear, And Thou Sweet Babe, Art Welcome Here”. It was custom to put together a layette (a set of clothes and gifts for a newborn baby) with gifts like decorated pin cushions with patterns and verses. Stay Busk - 1810s Made of scrimshore or whale bone. This stay busk has the drawing of a lady on a horse and a peeping tom; with an eye on top and the words ‘love to the’ heart. These were carved by young men for girls as a love token. This one is believed to have been made by a sailor for his girlfriend. The stay busks or corset stay would be inserted in to the corset to give support . Love Spoon - Mid 19th Century A Welsh love spoon with carved motives of the heart, tears (to represent the soul,) and circles. Parent...

Building has now started to house the Harrison Collection. J.L.

The Collections team are rather baffled by these objects. We believe the first object may be a form of pipe cleaner, the other object we are not sure of. Could it be something of surgical use?

This week, some of the Harrison Collection is still on display in the Ryedale Folk Museum Gallery. Rather quaint is this dog wheel, used in the seventeeth and eighteenth centuries for turning a spit over an open fire. The breed of dog was called a 'Turnspit',(now extinct) a cross between a Daschund and a Jack Russell.If the dog would not trot then hot embers would be placed in the base of the wheel to make it move. Many of the expressions used in the English language such as 'dog tired' and 'every dog shall have its day' originate from the use of a dog wheel.

A few more tractors and a threshing machine, most of which you can see at the museum. Watch this space, more to follow. N.B If you didn't know already, Ryedale Folk Museum will be the home of the Harrison Collection, a humungus collection of historical artefacts. Click on this link to go to the Gallery Blog and have a peep http://www.ryedalefolkmuseum.blogspot.com/ . The museum is currently appealing for donations for this, as we need to extend and build, which does not come cheap. Some of the collection is currently on display in the Gallery, so if you are passing Hutton-Le Hole, please pop in and have a look.