HAVE YOU SEEN ANYTHING LIKE THIS BEFORE?
Recently a member of our Family History Group which meets in Belford brought an intriguing item to show us. It is a small wooden item with a heart shape in the handle and with the initials A and D carved into it. It appears to be in the shape of a spade or shovel. It is beautifully varnished and in perfect condition despite being almost 140 years old.
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It was made by Adam Dunbar for his wife-to-be Annie Balmer both born during the 1850’s in the Borders. Family stories tell how he made it before they married and it was placed outside next to the front door of the house the couple intended to live in upon marriage. After this took place it was moved inside the house and hung beside the fireplace. It seems to be similar to a Welsh love spoon. Small wooden pieces like this are known as treen. Perhaps the spade/shovel represents Adam’s trade for he worked as a farm labourer, coal miner and general labourer until his death in 1913. His story is a familiar one to those of us with ancestors in North Northumberland. His parents moved around various farms in Adam’s life, but Adam and his wife were firmly settled in Lowick for all their married life. Farm work was poorly paid and many ag labs went on to become miners towards the end of the 19th century, often drifting towards the south of the county. Adam and Annie stayed put, however.
The item has passed down generations to our member who would love to know if this was once a traditional Northumbrian custom which died out. Was it a local custom, a family custom or simply the idea of a young man wanting to impress his sweetheart?
Has anyone seen anything similar in this part of the world?
Is there a local name for such a thing?
A mention on Social Media revealed another seen in a house in the Borders many years ago but no photograph is available.
We would love to hear from anyone with any more information.
