Domestic and working life
The collection of domestic and working life objects contains items used in the homes and workplaces of Warwickshire people, from the 19th Century to the present day. There is a wide range of material, from teapots to agricultural implements!
Mobile phone, 2000
Blue plastic ‘Siemens C35e’ mobile phone, bought in Stratford – upon – Avon, Warwickshire, in June 2000.
It belonged to Dr Jon Radley, who accidentally tripped and fell into a canal on June 24th 2000:
“Managed to climb out and retrieve various items – the mobile phone was in the pocket of my shorts and never really recovered.”
He offered the phone to the social history collection.
Butter stamp, 1859 - 1900
Beech wood butter stamp, carved with a ‘cow’ design.
Butter stamps, carved in various styles and patterns, were used in dairies to decorate blocks or rounds of butter.
Beech and sycamore were the woods used for making dairy equipment. They have a silky finish and don’t affect the flavour of butter, milk and cream.
Tea set, 1920 - 1930
This ‘breakfast set’ consists of a tea-pot, sugar basin and milk jug, together with two cups and saucers. It has been decorated with a transfer-printed design of flowers and leaves on a white background. It was made by the firm of T. G. Green & Co, of Church Gresley in Derbyshire.
Bottle, early 20th century
Stoneware ginger beer bottle, printed “Thacker & Christmas, Warwick”.
Thacker & Christmas was a grocery shop on the corner of Swan Street and the High Street, Warwick. It closed in 1970. This bottle was found at Warwick tip in 1982.
Cheese press 1900 - 1950
Presses were used during the final stages of cheese production, when the last drop of liquid ‘whey’ was squeezed from the solid ‘curd’.
The cheese is put in the ceramic white bowl. The large wheel at the top is turned, lowering a weight. The weight presses down on the cheese and any liquid comes out of the spout.
This example is a small domestic press for the home. Much larger versions would have been used for commercial cheese making.
