Name/TitleFloral tribute
About this objectThis floral tribute from Christmas 1983 was commissioned by the Buckley family of Little Totham. The Christmas wreath was made by David Weekes of Essex who was a Braintree antiques dealer, and had previously been a florist.It was made for the grave of Dannie (Danal) Buckley, a gypsy, who died age 71 in June 1983. He and his wife Doris travelled around the countryside with a horse and wagon, working on farms and were known for their skill in breaking-in horses and caring for sick ponies. They settled in Little Totham in circa 1963 and began to exhibit Dannie's collection of antiques outside his caravan there. He was buried in St. Mary's Churchyard, Kelvedon on July 6th. 1983. Six months later the Christmas wreath was taken to the graveside with 50 members of the Buckley family in a procession behind. The tribute comprises a wooden frame, covered with wire mesh, with 2,000 plastic wax and paper flowers. It is multicoloured with, red, pink, white, yellow, green, mauve, brown, black, orange, grey and blue. There are wooden knobs and two plaques, one of wood the other of tin. The tin plaque, on the front of the tribute shows a country scene with a man guiding a plough pulled by two horses. The wooden plaque is a horseshoe, in the centre of which is a horseshoe.
Date MadeChristmas 1983
Medium and MaterialsFrame - wood (covered with wire mesh)
Outside - plastic & wax paper flowers, 2 fir, 2 tinsel
Knobs - wood
Plaques - tin, wood
Inscription and Marksfront of the tin plaque: a design of a farmer ploughed a filed with the aid of two horses. At the back, there is a house and the sun rises among the hills.
back of the wooden: a horse head in the middle of a horseshoe.
MeasurementsLength: 148 cms
Width: 86 cms
Height: 172 cms
Object numberSTMEA:1984-3.1
Copyright Licence
Attribution - Non-commercial (cc)
