What is ...

On Thu, 16 Aug 2007 17:01:27 +0100 someone who may be "Mary Fisher" wrote this:-

Sorry, no idea.

I'm sorry to hear that. Someone once told me that it is a life changing experience and I agree with that.

Something to do with washing clothes I think? early childhood recollection before washing machines were the norm in housholds.

Handmaiden? Washing board Clothes dryer

Then again I could be way of the mark as I was only a nipper at the time but the word HANDMAIDEN still rings a bell.

On the other hand it could be a implement for stitching or making clothes? at least I was on the right track

I don't know what it is, Mary, but I'm sorry to hear of your loss. Please accept my sympathy.

Si

I don't know but these people *may* be able to help you as they have a good collection of domestic and laundry paraphernalia.

Andy

She wasn't interested in chinese antiques I take it?

Don't really know - Wiki's not a lot of help!

However, lots of people are selling things with 'handmaiden' in the description on Ebay. Have a look at

================================= I think it might be an embroidery frame.

Cic.

Sorry to hear about your loss Mary - my condolences to you.

Up here in Lancashire, we use the word "maiden" (possibly a shortening of handmaiden) to mean a sort of framework to hang clothes on to dry, after coming out of the washing machine. Some call it a clotheshorse.

John

My Girlfriend's Grandma has just said the same. Embroidery frame.

Sorry to her about your loss Mary.

Adam

It was for her ...

:-)

Mary

Thanks, Andy, I've mailed them. Might mail some other collections too, it's a good idea.

Mary

No :-)

She was born in Yorkshire and moved to Lancashire about thirty years ago. I've lived in Yorkshire all my life and haven't heard of it. But you've given me another idea - a dialect specialist might know.

Not much time though ...

Mary

Much the same as what I found in my 'research' and not appropriate. But I love the idea of a thrumming lute :-)

Mary

I did wonder about that, we call it a clothes horse or sometimes a clothes maiden or a "winter 'edge". What puts me off that are two things: I've never heard my mother call it a handmaiden, she taught me it was a clothes horse, and there's an expanding clothes airer in the same list.

That's nice, next week I'm taking my ancient dolls' house to a grand daughter, with all the equally ancient contents. There's a clothes horse in that but it's a wooden frame with wire rails. My godfather made the house and furniture during wartime, he had access to small quantities of some materials because he was a plumber. The house even has stained glass windows!

I think it's going to be a clothes horse - and I already have four :-)

Thanks a lot,

Mary

That's interesting but Mum hadn't done any embroidery in donkey's years, she gave me her round and oval embroidery frames decades ago. But if I find any I'll decide on that interpretation!

Thanks to EVERYONE, I didn't think I'd have such a response.

And for your condolences. Mum was 96 and died suddenly but peacefully in her sleep, she didn't suffer and wasn't really aware of any world outside her television for the last few years so it wasn't a tragedy.

I'll report on what I find though, just for interest.

Mary

Am I allowed to make a joke about stable relationships?

Go on then ... I shan't shut the door until you have :-)

Mary

Too late - I'm off to bed!

Mary