Name/TitleFlat iron

About this objectThis iron was one of a set of three used to iron the weekly wash. Two of the irons, of which this is one, were 4lbs. in weight. The third was 5lbs., used when a heavier iron was needed. The ironing was usually done in the living room; the irons would be heated on the range there. It was stood on it's heel with the sole facing the fire on a plate which dropped down in front of the firebars. In later years, when Mrs. Blackmore had a lot of cooking to do for her grown up sons, Mrs. Rogers would sometimes do the ironing in the kitchen, heating the irons on the range there. By this time the range in the living room had been replaced by an oil range on which the irons were heated. The flat irons replaced an old box iron, in which the detachable heater was heated in the fire and removed from there with fire tongs. Mrs. Blackmore did not like this iron because it was inconvenient to heat. When she dropped it and cracked it one day she replaced it with flat irons.

This material relates to the Alton Mill complex, which was removed from the Tattingstone Valley, in the parish of Stutton, near Ipswich, and re- erected at the Museum during the period of 1973 to 1975. The cart lodge was the only outbuilding bought; a series of small barns was left.

During Mr. George Blackmore’s tenancy at the mill it was owned by Mr. Herbert Southgate; his three surviving daughters remember nothing about the mill, and first-hand information has had to be derived from Mr. Blackmore’s children who were all born and brought up there, but who are younger than the Southgate daughters.

Medium and MaterialsMade of iron.

Inscription and MarksStamped '4/H&S/L/ SILVESTER'S PATENT.'
Parallel with the sides: ' SHLX' and '0250 on each side of the handle.

MeasurementsLength: 140mm
Height: 115mm
Max Width: 95mm

Object Typeiron

Object numberSTMEA:75.A.82.4

Copyright LicenceAttribution - Non-commercial (cc)