На остролтском заповеднике восстановят древнее ремесло плетения из ивы

Keith Grimwade, Chair of the Friends group, describes the willow-weaving heritage of Holt Island Nature Reserve Osiers, the type of willow used for weaving, were grown on Holt Island from the 1720s to the 1920s. They give the island its name – ‘Holt’ is a local word for a plantation, especially an osier plantation. There was a big demand for willow wands (also known as ‘withies’ or ‘rods’) to make different types of baskets, and products such as filters for fire engine hoses and sieves for straining fruit in jam factories. In 1877 John Harrison founded ‘Harrison and Son, Willow Growers and Basket Makers of St Ives’. The firm prospered and became one of the largest growers of willow in the country. It had several osier plantations along the river, including Holt Island, and totalling 45 acres. Harrisons developed their own hybrid willow, ideal for basket work, a cross between Salix viminalis and Salix triandra. The willow wands were cut by men over the winter. In the spring the firm employed 70-80 women to remove the bark from the wands – ‘stripping the willow’, a call you may have heard when country dancing! From March to June men were employed to hoe between the lines of osiers. The willow wands on Holt Island were sorted, bundled and then taken by barge to The Quay, downstream of the town bridge. It was then transported by horse and cart to the Harrison’s workshop in Filbert’s Walk (now demolished). John’s son Charles, and then his grandson Jack, followed him into the business. One of their biggest contracts was making the sorting baskets for the Post Office. This was ‘square work’, which is much more difficult than making a round basket. The business closed in 1970, unable to compete with the introduction of plastic. But by then they had made over 30,000 potato baskets! Jack described basket making ‘as a work of art’. Fortunately, there are still people who have learnt, and pass on, this ancient skill. Join us on Holt Island on Heritage Open Day on Saturday, 12th September, when John Conkey of the British Basket Makers Association will be demonstrating traditional basket-making techniques from 10.30 am to 3 pm. There may be a chance for you to have a go at weaving, too. We will also have a display of Harrison baskets, kindly lent to us by Jack’s daughter, Charlotte.