Thomas Hoodlass "Stealing a bottle of straw" in 1878

[youngtug]

So are some wine bottles wrapped in straw, but we have already found that he stole a quantity of straw, a bottle, or windle, meaning a bundle as I posted links to the meaning of earlier

[RobinRedBreast]

So are some wine bottles wrapped in straw, but we have already found that he stole a quantity of straw, a bottle, or windle, meaning a bundle as I posted links to the meaning of earlier

[groom]

We still haven't solved why it was at the railway and why he wanted it enough to risk stealing it.

[RobinRedBreast]

We still haven't solved why it was at the railway and why he wanted it enough to risk stealing it.

Oh yes. I almost forgot, haha! I know that a lot of his ancestors were farmers. And Thomas may have had some relatives at this time who were also farmers. I don't know if this means that much, but I think Thomas was a farmer in the 1881 Census.

[Maiden Stone]

Thomas may have kept livestock at or near home  which needed straw. Poultry or rabbits perhaps. Some people in towns  rented "pens" (like allotments ) where they kept livestock. Some kept them in their back yard if they had one.
I doubt straw was in bales as it is now.
Railway may have needed straw for packing as someone suggested. Also for livestock wagons? Perhaps the straw was  itself a commodity, being transported long-distance. Some regions produce more straw than others. There may have been a shortage in one place and abundance in another.
As for quantities, item in a 17thC inventory was " a parcel of sheep". I thought sheep came ready-wrapped.

[youngtug]

Any commodity would be transported, by rail in this case, to wherever it was needed. Straw could be used for bedding, of humans as well as for animals. It is used for thatching and hatmaking amongst other uses. But at this time I think the major use was for paper making.

[RobinRedBreast]

Thomas may have kept livestock at or near home  which needed straw. Poultry or rabbits perhaps. Some people in towns  rented "pens" (like allotments ) where they kept livestock. Some kept them in their back yard if they had one.
I doubt straw was in bales as it is now.
Railway may have needed straw for packing as someone suggested. Also for livestock wagons? Perhaps the straw was  itself a commodity, being transported long-distance. Some regions produce more straw than others. There may have been a shortage in one place and abundance in another.
As for quantities, item in a 17thC inventory was " a parcel of sheep". I thought sheep came ready-wrapped.

Thank you.

[RobinRedBreast]

Any commodity would be transported, by rail in this case, to wherever it was needed. Straw could be used for bedding, of humans as well as for animals. It is used for thatching and hatmaking amongst other uses. But at this time I think the major use was for paper making.

Paper making, that's interesting. Thank you.

[RobinRedBreast]

Much obliged to everyone for all the interesting useful comments here.
Merry Christmas Everyone!