Mercer Tiles
People at Work 5
Spinning Flax
The fiber of the flax plant was wound around a stick called a distaff, then taken by the woman and fed onto
the turning spindle, which twisted it into thread.
The flax was prepared for spinning by using the Flax Brake [see Tools 2]
After the thread was made, it was wound onto a flax reel, also seen on the Tools 2 page.
The fiber of the flax plant was wound around a stick called a distaff, then taken by the woman and fed onto
the turning spindle, which twisted it into thread.
The flax was prepared for spinning by using the Flax Brake [see Tools 2]
After the thread was made, it was wound onto a flax reel, also seen on the Tools 2 page.
Spinning Wool
The woman holds a roll of carded wool in her hand. She feeds small amounts of it through her fingers onto the
spinning spindle, which twists the fibers into yarn.
The woman holds a roll of carded wool in her hand. She feeds small amounts of it through her fingers onto the
spinning spindle, which twists the fibers into yarn.
Splitting Shingles
In the days before lumber mills, men split pieces of oak into shingles using an L-shaped knife called a frow,
pounding on it with a club. Then a man would sit and clamp the shingles to a lever.
He would trim and smooth each shingle with a drawing knife.
See the
image "Man Using Frow" on the People at Work 3 page.
In the days before lumber mills, men split pieces of oak into shingles using an L-shaped knife called a frow,
pounding on it with a club. Then a man would sit and clamp the shingles to a lever.
He would trim and smooth each shingle with a drawing knife.
See the
image "Man Using Frow" on the People at Work 3 page.
Type Setter
This man is selecting block letters from the cases in front of him and clamping them together in a
composing stick to make sentences. The words were inked, then pressed onto paper.
The upper case held the capital letters, while the lower case held the small letters.
This is where we get the terms "upper case" and "lower case" letters.
This man is selecting block letters from the cases in front of him and clamping them together in a
composing stick to make sentences. The words were inked, then pressed onto paper.
The upper case held the capital letters, while the lower case held the small letters.
This is where we get the terms "upper case" and "lower case" letters.
Drawing Water at the Wellsweep
An empty bucket, fastened on a long stick, is lowered into the well. The stick is attached to a pole with
a weight on the far end. The pole is hinged onto a post. This method of getting water out of a well was
replaced by the house pump. [See House Pump in the "Tools 2" section.]
All images courtesy of Mrs. Maureen Book.
An empty bucket, fastened on a long stick, is lowered into the well. The stick is attached to a pole with
a weight on the far end. The pole is hinged onto a post. This method of getting water out of a well was
replaced by the house pump. [See House Pump in the "Tools 2" section.]
All images courtesy of Mrs. Maureen Book.