Archaeology

I love old junk... but did you know I also like really, REALLY old junk?? :P

This is a piece of clay tobacco pipe I found at Weymouth, on the seaside. I love collecting bits of clay pipe I find in fields, most that I find I think date from 1640-1720 - but this one is special. I was hunting for sea glass at the time, amongst the gravel, and suddenly spotted it. It's been worn smooth by the sea and I like to imagine the rest of it clamped between the scurvy teeth of a haughty sailor as he set the course of his vessel... it also reminds me of a lovely day with my boyfriend and friends :)

Another piece of clay pipe that's a bit special. I found this one last week, it's another heel (I never find bits of bowl, most often just stem), but this one is the very first I've found with any decoration, let alone a maker's mark inside a love heart! I didn't get the TM in as sharp focus as I would have liked, but I think I may have traced it to have been manufactured by Thomas Moore, or Thomas Monks, in the late seventeenth/early eighteenth century. Aah, history.

And finally, the oldest finds of them all. The spearhead/scraper on the right I found a couple of years ago, just on a dog walk. The beautiful (PROUDNESS!) arrowhead I found in a nearby field, not three days ago, lying on top of a newly-ploughed field, just as you see here - not even any mud. I ran home squeaking and my dad let out a boyish yell and started taking pictures whilst going green in the face.

The best thing about old junk... is when you find free old junk :)

The Man from Sirdar, He Say... Knit

Hello everyone (?), after a long and fairly painful hiatus involving home troubles, going back to college and squeezing every last drop out of a lovely summer, I'm back hunched over my keyboard ready to resume living in the past!! And here is also why I haven't been updating as much...

 Knitting has been a skill of mine since around age 4, when my alarmingly knit-proficient mother first introduced me to the idea that pointy things could be used to create beauty as well as entertainment. But it only became a hobby around the age of nine, when she started a knitting club every Monday in our local. My very first project I remember was a long, wide, pink scarf - from then on I made more scarves (and more, and more...), odd little half-started projects I can't remember there ever being a purpose of, a mohair blanket, a pair of elbow-length gloves, and, more recently, more blanket squares, this time 100% organic white ones.

 My new love is cabling. Now that I can do it...


These squares are really rather quick to whip up, in fact, I can get 95% of one done in a single episode of CSI: Crime Scene Investigation, 34% if it's the Mentalist.

 This is my other project at the moment - a cable jumper. It is incredibly slow going, mostly because I've been tempted away by the quickness and novelty of the blanket squares. But when it's done I hope it'll resemble a fisherman-come-archaeologist-come-author outdoorsy bookish kind of affair :) with obligatory neckerchief and khaki culottes.

The wool was a Scrap Store find, and mostly why it's featured on this blog - it's vintage 'RAF Blue' (love!!) and smells like wet sheep on an airfield. Plus there's a lot of it, so even though it's quite thin, I may even be able to squeeze a matching hat out of it...

And now, a freebie. This delightful chap was picked up, rather worse for wear, in a charity shop in Wimborne. Although his right armpit has been compromised, the pattern is still in very good nick, and, being an enthusiastic hunter of free knitting patterns myself, I'm going to replicate it here. Of course, if you knit it only to find a problem with the pattern, please comment - either I've spelled something wrong or the pattern itself has an error. Enjoy, and if you do attempt this, I'd love to see the outcome! :)





DESIGN NO.1167 - MAN'S PULLOVER
Directions given for long sleeves or sleeveless.


TENSION: 7 stitches to one inch.


ABBREVIATIONS:
k - knit
p - purl
sts - stitches
tog - together
sl.1 - slip one stitch knitways
t.b.l - through back of loops


MATERIALS:
6 ozs. Sirdar Majestic Wool, 4-ply (sleeveless)
10 ozs. Sirdar Majestic Wool, 4-ply (with Sleeves)
1 pair Knitting Needles, No.11
1 pair Knitting Needles, No.9


MEASUREMENTS:
Width all round at underarm, 38 inches.
Length from top of Shoulder, 21 inches.
Length of sleeve seam, 19 inches.


THE BACK
Using No.11 needles, cast on 128 sts.
1st ROW: Sl.1, k1, * p1, k1, repeat from * to end of row.
Repeat the 1st row 39 times.


Change to No.9 needles.
1st ROW: sl.1, k3, * p8, k8, repeat from * to the last 12 sts, p8, k4.
2nd ROW: sl.1, p3, * k8, p8, repeat from * to the last 12 sts, k8, p3, k1.


These two rows form the pattern. Proceed in pattern until the work measures 131/2 inches from the commencement, ending on the wrong side of the work.


SHAPE OF THE ARMHOLES
Cast off 8 sts at the beginning of each of the next two rows. Keeping the continuity of the pattern decrease once at each end of the next and every alternate row until 96 sts remain.
Continue without shaping until the work measures 21 inches from the commencement, ending on the wrong side of the work.


SHAPE OF THE SHOULDERS
Cast off 8 sts at the beginning of each of the next 8 rows.
Cast off the remaining sts.

THE FRONT

Work exactly as given for the back until the armhole shapings are reached, ending on the wrong side of the work.

THE ARMHOLE AND NECK SHAPINGS

1ST ROW: Cast off 8 sts, p8, (k8, p8) 3 times, k4, turn.

2ND ROW: Sl.1, p3, (k8, p8) 3 times, k4.

3RD ROW: Sl.1, p2tog, p1, (k8, p8) 3 times, k1, k2tog, k1.

4TH ROW: Sl.1, p2, (k8, p8) 3 times, k3.

5TH ROW: Sl.1, p2tog, (k8, p8) 3 times, k3.

6TH ROW: Sl.1, p2, (k8, p8) 3 times, k2.

7TH ROW: Sl.1, k2tog, k7, (p8, k8) twice, p8, k2tog, k1.

Keeping the continuity of the pattern decrease once at the armhole edge in ever alternate row, at the same time decrease once at the neck edge in every following 4th row until 44 sts remain.

Continue in pattern, decreasing once at the neck edge in ever 4th row, as before, until 32 sts remain.

Continue without shaping until the armhole measures the same as the back armhole, ending on the wrong side of the work.

SHAPE THE SHOULDER

1ST ROW: Cast off 8 sts, work in pattern to end of row.

2ND ROW: Sl.1, work in pattern to end of row. Repeat the 1st and 2nd rows twice.

Cast off the remaining sts. Rejoin the wool to the neck edge of the remaining sts and proceed as follows: -

1ST ROW: Sl.1, k3, (p8, k8) 3 times, p8, k4.

2ND ROW: Cast off 8 sts, k3, (p8, k8) 3 times, p3, k1.

3RD ROW: Sl.1, k2tog, k1, (p8, k8) 3 times, p1, p2tog, k1.

4TH ROW: Sl.1, k2, (p8, k8) 3 times, p2, k1.

5TH ROW: Sl.1, k2, (p8, k8) 3 times, p2tog, k1.

6TH ROW: Sl.1, k1, (p8, k8) 3 times, p2, k1.

7TH ROW: Sl.1, k2tog, (p8, k8) twice, p8, k7, k2tog, k1.

Continue as given for the left side until 32 stitches remain.

Continue without shaping until the armhole measures the same as the back armhole, ending on the right side of the work.

SHAPE THE SHOULDER

1ST ROW: Cast off 8 sts, work in pattern to end of row.

2ND ROW: Sl.1, work in pattern to end of row.

Repeat the 1st and 2nd rows twice. Cast off the remaining sts. Sew up the right shoulder seam.

THE NECK BAND

Using No.11 needles and with the right side of the work facing, pick up and knit 75 sts along the left side of the neck, one stitch from the centre of the V, 76 sts along the right side of the neck and 32 sts across the back of the neck (184 sts).

1ST ROW: Sl.1, k1, * p1, k1, repeat from * to end of row.

2ND ROW: Sl.1, (k1, p1) 36 times, k2tog, t.b.l, k1, k2tog, * p1, k1, repeat from * to end of row.

3RD ROW: Sl.1, *k1, p1, repeat from * to the last 77 sts, k2tog, p1, k2tog, (p1, k1) 36 times.

4TH ROW: Sl.1, (k1, p1) 35 times, k2tog, t.b.l, k1, k2tog, * p1, k1, repeat from * to end of row.

5TH ROW: Sl.1, * k1, p1, repeat from * to the last 75 sts, k2tog, p1, k2tog, (p1, k1) 35 times.

6TH ROW: Sl.1, (k1, p1) 34 times, k2tog, t.b.l, k1, k2tog, *p1, k1, repeat from * to end of row.

7TH ROW: Sl.1, * k1, p1, repeat from * to the last 73 sts, k2tog, p1, k2tog, (p1, k1) 34 times.

8TH ROW: Sl.1, (k1, p1) 33 times, k2tog t.b.l, k1, k2tog, * p1, k1, repeat from * to end of row.

Cast off in rib. Sew up the left shoulder seam.

THE SLEEVE BANDS (For Sleeveless Model)

Using No.11 needles and with the right side of the work facing, pick up 134 sts evenly round the armhole edge.

1ST ROW: Sl.1, k1, * p1, k1, repeat from * to end of row.

Repeat the 1st row 9 times. Cast off loosely in rib.

THE SLEEVES (Both Alike)

Using No.11 needles, cast on 60 sts.

1ST ROW: Sl.1, k1, * p1, k1, repeat from * to end of row.

Repeat the 1st row 30 times.

32ND ROW: Sl.1, (k1, p1) 3 times, * increase once in the next st, rib 14 sts, repeat from * to the last 8 sts, increase once in the next st, (k1, p1) 3 times, k1 (64 sts).

Change to No.9 needles.

Proceed in pattern, exactly as given for the back, increasing once at each end of the 11th and every following 10th row until there are 88 sts on the needle.

Continue without shaping until the work measures 19 inches from the commencement, ending on the wrong side of the work.

SHAPE THE TOP

Cast off 1 st at the beginning of every row until 70 sts remain.

Case off 2 sts at the beginning of every row until 20 sts remain.

Cast off.

TO MAKE UP

Press each piece seperately on the wrong side under a damp cloth with a hot iron.

Sew up the side and sleeve seams.

Sew in the sleeves, placing seam to seam.

Press all seams.

Put on your man and make him grateful! (That part isn't in the pattern.)

Three Brothers - Update

An anonymous (...) tip-off from Twitter sent me to this site, where there's an interesting clue as to where exactly these three boys might have been staying.

South Shore is also a part of Blackpool, and the Brighton was the name of a hotel at 465 South Promenade. The Colonial Hotel, as it is now known, had a bit of a wobble a few years ago when it was fined for hygiene concerns, however it has since been renovated and there are some glowing reviews around on the internet. The hotel is situated directly in South Shore, and although I cannot find when the building dates from (anyone know?? ) it certainly looks as if it could be contemporary to the photographs. I think the first mystery is absolutely solved! :) But then... who is this mysterious C W he was with...? Until I find out...

Poster Campaign

Spent today gleefully rummaging around for bunches of lace in the local haberdashery (okay, it does fuzzy fur and buttons that look like footballs as well), buying an Italian leather bag for pence and then making a lining for it while chuckling at the League of Gentleman Christmas Special, and making posters.

See them soon in a town near you... if you live in northern Dorset, that is.

"The Cowslip" III

III.

Filial Love.

Miss Jane's mamma was very ill,

And felt such pain she could not sleep,

And Jane would quietly sit still,

Or sometimes through the curtains peep.

And often as she left the bed,

The tear of sweet affection fell,

And going from the room she said,

"I wish my dear mamma was well."

"The Cowslip" II

II.

The Truant.

Children, who delight to ramble,

When it is not holiday,

And o'er hedge and ditch to scramble,

All for love of truant play:

Must have tasks and lessons double

To make up for time misspent,

And, besides this double trouble,

Must have proper punishment.

"The Cowslip" I

While perusing the local charity shops with a couple of friends and my boyfriend, we went into Oxfam, which regrettably has a rather large shelf unit full of antiquarian books. I don't go in there often, because I have a feeling if I did, I'd be considerably thinner and have a much lighter wallet than I already do (it's featherweight, believe me).

Anyway, I was on my knees in front of that shelf before the tinkly bell above the door had fallen silent, and I picked out a slim volume of cautionary tales for children dating from 1900. Before I had a chance to thank him, my wonderful other half had whisked it away to the counter with a flash of plastic and a 'happy birthday' (it's not for two weeks!). And so, here is the first cutely similar to mine tale:

I.

The New Book

A neat little book, full of pictures, was bought

For a good little girl who was glad to be taught.

She read all the tales, and then said to her mother,

I'll lend this new book to my dear little brother.

He shall look at the pictures, and find O and I,

I'm sure he won't tear it, he's such a good boy.

Oh, no! brother Henry knows better indeed;

Although he's too young, yet, to spell or to read.

The first two lines reminded me of me; however I'd never lend this book to my little brother in a million years...

Tweet my Folksy!

Remember to visit the sister shop on Folksy
Follow me on Twitter @ThEngUndTheFlo
...And a Facebook page would probably be irrelevant... or would it? Thoughts...? ;)
Thanks for reading!!

Three Brothers and a Mayor

I've had these three chaps a while now... they came in a set and I can see why - two of them are distinctly brothers - even though the centre photograph is different from the other two and maybe taken somewhere else, the facial features are different - but what about the fella on the right? His picture was obviously taken in the same time and place as the one on the left, at least, and yet he looks completely different... unfortunately unless relatives are traced we'll probably never know who they were, or why so serious...

But the different, centre photo reveals a clue - I'm afraid I'm no dab hand at deciphering vintage handwriting, but here I've done my best:

Taken at South

Shore - ** Sep ***

1909 -

I was staying at the Brighton, with C + W*****

As far as I can find out, South Shore is in Massachusetts, but as for the Brighton - if that's what it says - I can find nothing. Please, if you have a better suggestion of what this says, leave a comment!

This guy, however, who I found inside a book as I recall at Sherborne tip, is from considerably later - the only clue to his identity being the words: "Michael Mayor 1977/78" written on the back. How ironic would this be if that was actually his name? Please - if you recognise him, leave a comment, and we might be able to reunite this photo with his family or office.

Ivory Pawn

Discovered a few hours ago, underneath a bridge over a river two miles from my house:

This ivory Victorian chess piece. That particular bridge was notorious in my book for housing an old dump underneath it, in a little passageway just off from the river's edge. The ground there is littered with broken glass, china, shotgun shells and metal rusted beyond recognition, and in the past I'd found a small number of intact bottles and pretty shards of teacup shards, so I make an effort to go back there every so often.

When the river's high it washes through this passageway and exposes more findings - at my visit the river was exceptionally low, due to the dry weather, and rather stagnant. There were very poor pickings - tens of broken bottles, Victorian and Edwardian era medicine and lemonade vessels, exactly what I was desperate to find, intact that is... just a load of necks and sides and bottoms scattered about, some of which I could match up, incomplete, so sad. Just rubbish back then... probably still rubbish now...

Pictured are these two shards, one of which interested me because it had a crown on it, and the other was just nice colours, and what I thought was a plastic modern chess piece (I almost left it there!). Upon getting home mum informed me that it was bone or ivory, and after cleaning it up I could see on the underside that the pillar had been slotted into a round hole into the base, whereas a modern piece would have been cast in a mould. Certainly one of the quaintest little things I've discovered...

The letters on the china shard read 'oseaawn', as far as I can tell. The letter before the O may be a capital R... I'm about to Google it...

Happy Families

While rootling in a drawer for some incense sticks, my mother happened upon this treasure left behind by my departed German grandmother, who most likely afforded it the same amount of disinterest as her daughter-in-law:

I don't know precisely when this dates from; in my mind it could be anything backwards from 1940. It's complete, as far as I know, with nine idiosyncratic respectable families each with a husband in trade, a wife either cleaning or sewing, one blonde daughter and one rotund son each happily engaged in activities relating to their father's profession. What the game would be like if it was made today I don't honestly know. It would probably involve more cards.

Many of the cards have sadly outdated professions; turncock, beadle, and the children are nostalgically enterprising. I particularly like Miss Silence the Usher's Daughter, who is grinning and holding a decapitated doll and its head in the other. Master Chop the Butcher's Son, on the other hand, is standing in the street bawling his eyes out because a dog is running away with his string of sausages. I'm sure there's a hidden message in these cards, but until I do the tarot reading I won't be able to decipher it.

I don't know if my grandmother particularly prized these, and this is why they're in a reasonable condition, or whether she didn't much care - my mother is sick of the sight of them and familial connotations and was going to flog them on eBay. Let the irony of this post's title sink in a minute there.

New Finds...

Down the tip, for less than pence:

A beautiful vintage pram, not in the best of condition, as you can see it has a mysterious hole on the side, below a shaped dent which suggests someone prised off a logo of some sorts. But that's not the end of it's suspicious injuries...

Weird slashes in its bonnet and inside make for a rather horrific mental picture... but surely its history can't have been as vicious as it seems?

A slightly more jolly footnote is that today I attended Maiden Newton at War, and along with all the ladies in fantastic get-up they were also pushing quite a few vintage prams about, not a few of which looked like this one! It's always nice to see something like this in context, even if you can't go back in time completely!

Although I have been able to find very similar looking prams on the Internet, they all seem to be of different names, so please if you know what this exact model is I'd be very interested to know...

Discerning readers may note that I have not put a baby in it, as it was intended, simply because I do not have one nor the intent to create one in the near future, also the condition of the pram is wholly unhygienic. At the moment it houses one top hat, one straw hat, a broken umbrella and some spare clothes.

Lastly, but not least:

Spotted at the local YMCA, hand-painted, I don't know what sort of age it is but it looks wonderful. If I had a spare £60, I would have wheeled it down the street myself.

The Death of Childhood

"Is the world all grown up? Is childhood dead? Or is there not in the bosom of the wisest and the best some of the child's heart left, to respond to its earliest enchantments?"

-Charles Lamb
"Great Thoughts From Master Minds", 1899

Sonnet XVII

Who will believe my verse in time to come,
If it were fill'd with your most high deserts?
Though yet, heaven knows, it is but as a tomb
Which hides your life and shows not half your parts.
If I could write the beauty of your eyes
And in fresh numbers number all your graces,
The age to come would say 'This poet lies:
Such heavenly touches ne'er touch'd earthly faces.'
So should my papers yellow'd with their age
Be scorn'd like old men of less truth than tongue,
And your true rights be term'd a poet's rage
And stretched metre of an antique song:
   But were some child of yours alive that time,
   You should live twice; in it and in my rhyme.

-William Shakespeare.

{ Photo found at mrwaterslide's photostream at Flikr, all rights reserved }

A Selection from The Albion Readers

"Sir Owain before the Countess", frontispiece

"He was knitting a woollen stocking"

From 'the Key-Flower'

"Boarding the Galleon"

"The princess Cicely finds Michael asleep in the garden"

"Drake's ship, 'the Golden Hind'"

"In the pool of London" from the picture entitled "Toil, Wealth, Glitter and Grime" by W. L. Wyllie B.A.

"In the distance the Titanic looked enormous"

"Round him crush the people. crying, 'Tell us all - O, tell us true!'"

"Beethoven playing to the blind girl"

"The boy-judge"