Author Topic: Family Heirlooms  (Read 6025 times)

Offline Old Mother Reilly

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Re: Family Heirlooms
« Reply #45 on: Friday 28 May 21 10:18 BST (UK) »
I have a small "notepad" made of 5 or 6 leaves of ivory. It was used to write notes to one of my gt-grandmothers who had become completely deaf in her old age.  Although not acceptable nowadays, ivory was smooth and non-porous so it could be wiped and reused indefinitely.  I have never seen anything else like it.

My favourite heirloom is a nearly complete set of wooden building bricks made by another gt-grandparent for his children.  They are very Gothic in style and include glazed windows!
Stevens (Devizes, Calne, Wootton Bassett): Hunt (Milford/Lymington, Calne): Moore/Rudland (Ipswich): Whitlock (Pitton & Farley): Hayter (Whiteparish)

O'Reilly (Sheffield, Flint, L'pool, Co. Longford): Foxton (Sheffield, Northallerton, Thirsk): Spragg (St. Teath, Delabole, Pengelly): Stabb (Berry Pomeroy)

Gore (Newbury, Wigan): Hawkins (Gt Bedwyn/Hungerford): Massey/Wallis (Shalbourne): Mildenhall (Ogbourne): Smith/Lilley (Nhants): Wernham (Chieveley): Woosnam (Mont./Salop): Yaldwyn (Blackdown)

Offline conahy calling

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Re: Family Heirlooms
« Reply #46 on: Friday 28 May 21 10:37 BST (UK) »
I saw one "notebook" as you describe. It belonged to my grandfather who was a builder. He used it to record measurements, timber lengths etc. My mother donated it to a small local museum. My mother thought that it was made from bone, but the museum note with it states that it is made from ivory. I was surprised how clearly a pencil could write on it. The pages were about 2 x 2 inches. It was a dull yellow colour.

Offline Gillg

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Re: Family Heirlooms
« Reply #47 on: Friday 28 May 21 11:45 BST (UK) »
Viktoria
What a lovely version of great-aunt Beth's poem!  I will print it out and keep it with the original script for future generations. "Shugheaw"  had me puzzled, I must admit.  I thought it was  probably "sure", which would have been pronounced with two syllables and the "gh" would have been soft.  I don't remember Beth speaking with a broad accent, let alone in dialect.  She and two of her sisters never married and lived to a great age,  As a small child I was convinced they were witches, as they always wore black!
Census information is Crown Copyright, from www.nationalarchives.gov.uk

FAIREY/FAIRY/FAREY/FEARY, LAWSON, CHURCH, BENSON, HALSTEAD from Easton, Ellington, Eynesbury, Gt Catworth, Huntingdon, Spaldwick, Hunts;  Burnley, Lancs;  New Zealand, Australia & US.

HURST, BOLTON,  BUTTERWORTH, ADAMSON, WILD, MCIVOR from Milnrow, Newhey, Oldham & Rochdale, Lancs., Scotland.

Online Viktoria

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Re: Family Heirlooms
« Reply #48 on: Friday 28 May 21 14:12 BST (UK) »
I wonder if girls at dances would have used an ivory pad when reserving
dances?

Viktoria.


Offline Brie

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Re: Family Heirlooms
« Reply #49 on: Friday 28 May 21 14:45 BST (UK) »
Viktoria,

They did. I've seen some Georgian ones somewhere but I can't remember where....

Offline ThrelfallYorky

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Re: Family Heirlooms
« Reply #50 on: Friday 28 May 21 15:03 BST (UK) »
Probably in a museum display in Bath?
(Many decades later, when plastics were developed, writing tablet "swatches" made of celluloid were made - bit of a fire risk if at a candlelit ball?
Threlfall (Southport), Isherwood (lancs & Canada), Newbould + Topliss(Derby), Keating & Cummins (Ireland + lancs), Fisher, Strong& Casson (all Cumberland) & Downie & Bowie, Linlithgow area Scotland . Also interested in Leigh& Burrows,(Lancashire) Griffiths (Shropshire & lancs), Leaver (Lancs/Yorks) & Anderson(Cumberland and very elusive)

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Re: Family Heirlooms
« Reply #51 on: Friday 28 May 21 18:04 BST (UK) »
Saw a Roman writing tablet ,wax in a shallow frame and a wooden or metal tool to flatten the wax after use and a pointed end to scratch writing on t
There was still a message on the wax, at Roman Corbridge - Corstopitum.
I think it said “ No milk today.”
Viktoria...

Offline ThrelfallYorky

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Re: Family Heirlooms
« Reply #52 on: Saturday 29 May 21 16:51 BST (UK) »
Usually those wooden ones, wax coated, were either hinged or held together in pairs, which effectively protected the message. One end of the stylus was pointy, the other flatter to smooth the wax surface ( for replies?)
TY
Threlfall (Southport), Isherwood (lancs & Canada), Newbould + Topliss(Derby), Keating & Cummins (Ireland + lancs), Fisher, Strong& Casson (all Cumberland) & Downie & Bowie, Linlithgow area Scotland . Also interested in Leigh& Burrows,(Lancashire) Griffiths (Shropshire & lancs), Leaver (Lancs/Yorks) & Anderson(Cumberland and very elusive)

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Re: Family Heirlooms
« Reply #53 on: Saturday 29 May 21 20:32 BST (UK) »
I could not bring the word to mind and can’t see the dictionary , kept thinking strigilbut knowing full welll  that  was for use at the bsths to scrape the olive oil from the skin .
Wonder what the postage was?
 ;D
Viktoria.