Dublin Core
Title
Making a replica heather creel.
Description
Sheila Moir with the 100yr + old heather creel she donated to Castletown Heritage Society, next to basket making tutor Tim Johnson from the Isle of Wight with his replica creel. Photo taken at Castlehill Heritage Centre in August 2011.
In 2007, Sheila Moir from Scarfskerry called in to Castletown Heritage Centre for a look around and to see what was happening on a 'Basket Making Course' run by Tim Johnson. Interested in what they were doing, Sheila told them about a creel basket she had been given. It had belonged to one of her neighbours, Sinclair MacDonald. He wa an old man who lived in Sckarfskerry with his sister, and years ago he had a boat and went to sea. He lived on the Burn Road about half a mile from the harbour, so he probably used the heather creel to carried his fish home in. The basket was among several items given to Sheila after he died. Sheila returned wiht the creel an donated it to Castlehill Heritage for safe-keeping.
Sometime later, Joanne B Kaar (nee O'Donnell) , was listening to a recorded interview made by Iain Sutherland, with Mary Ann Calder of Mary-Ann's Cottage, Westside Dunnet, and given to the Caithness Family History Society in 1989. Early on in the interview there is a mention of a 'creel', made of heather, and used to carry fish to Dunnet from Brough, where the cod fishing was best. Mary-Ann also mentioned that her father made heather creels. This was probably a traditional design of 'creel' for the area. Basket maker Tim Johnson retured to run a workshop - making replicas of Sheila's heather creel.
Joanne B Kaar (nee O'Donnell ) is wearing the heather creel.
In 2007, Sheila Moir from Scarfskerry called in to Castletown Heritage Centre for a look around and to see what was happening on a 'Basket Making Course' run by Tim Johnson. Interested in what they were doing, Sheila told them about a creel basket she had been given. It had belonged to one of her neighbours, Sinclair MacDonald. He wa an old man who lived in Sckarfskerry with his sister, and years ago he had a boat and went to sea. He lived on the Burn Road about half a mile from the harbour, so he probably used the heather creel to carried his fish home in. The basket was among several items given to Sheila after he died. Sheila returned wiht the creel an donated it to Castlehill Heritage for safe-keeping.
Sometime later, Joanne B Kaar (nee O'Donnell) , was listening to a recorded interview made by Iain Sutherland, with Mary Ann Calder of Mary-Ann's Cottage, Westside Dunnet, and given to the Caithness Family History Society in 1989. Early on in the interview there is a mention of a 'creel', made of heather, and used to carry fish to Dunnet from Brough, where the cod fishing was best. Mary-Ann also mentioned that her father made heather creels. This was probably a traditional design of 'creel' for the area. Basket maker Tim Johnson retured to run a workshop - making replicas of Sheila's heather creel.
Joanne B Kaar (nee O'Donnell ) is wearing the heather creel.