Curator’s Choice – The Thresher
The threshing machine on display in the Rural Life Museum was made by Marshall’s of Gainsborough in the later 19th century. It was last used by Mr C. W. Stones on Rainsbutt Farm in Crowle.
Threshing is the separating of the grains from the chaff. Before threshing machines were invented, this was done by hand using flails. Though hard work, it was guaranteed employment for agricultural workers for several months. Up to 100 people would be employed in the field using flails at harvest time. But after 1800 when threshing machines became common, only 10 or 12 people were needed to work the thresher.
In this video, Collections Assistant Social History, Eveline van Breemen, takes a closer look at the threshing machine, the second largest object in the collection.
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