POT LIDS
Do you recognise these? They’re pot lids – mostly Victorian, from a large collection belonging to an Ickenham resident. Many households will have one or two of these, tucked away in a drawer somewhere, possibly inherited from granny or just recently excavated.
In the last thirty years or so, digging for old bottles and pots in Victorian and Edwardian refuse tips has become a popular hobby and this has led to a new breed of collectors. Pot lids are particularly desirable because they tell an instant story about our ancestors and the Victorians in particular. As can be seen, the lids, which can be coloured, but are mostly monochrome, are attractively designed using an enormous range of typefaces (or fonts). In a few words and lines the designer managed to extol the ‘virtues’ of the contents and leave you wondering why you never bought it before. This, of course, was well before the Trade Descriptions Act!
Millions of pots were made to contain a huge variety of ingredients such as toothpaste, cold cream and shaving cream. Among this collection there are lids for bear’s grease, once believed to be a cure for baldness. Fortunately for the bears that fad was replaced by the use of pomades and, even today, a selection of alternative miracle ‘cures’ for the ever-hopeful.
Pot lids started to flourish with the development of printing methods – first with labels glued to the lids and then with the ability of the potteries to apply print which could be overglazed. Simultaneously, domed lids tended to replace the original flat-topped ones.
Interestingly, a few of the brand names found on original pot lids remain in use on modern, (and much less attractive), packaging to this day. A nicely-designed pot lid in good condition will be worth several pounds to a keen collector, so don’t ignore that round, and sometimes square, pottery object lurking amongst those long-lost treasures!
AFN
Arts, Crafts & Hobbies Exhibition at Ickenham URC
Wednesday 20th - Friday 22nd June
During Ickenham Festival Week 2012
Do you have an interesting hobby or artistic skill? We are looking for new exhibitors who have collections of items of good exhibition standard to put on display at Ickenham URC in June during the Festival Week. If you are interested, contact Richard Boyes by mid May at the latest, on 01895 631935 or by email at richardboyes19@talktalk.net
And everyone else: be sure to visit and be inspired by the range of skills and interests of your fellow residents. |
JUBILEE GARDEN UNDERWAY
Progress is being made on the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee commemorative garden seen here being constructed near the children’s playground in Swakeleys Park. The garden has been designed by the Council’s Green Spaces Team and will contain benches, and an obelisk. It will be planted out before being formally opened by the Mayor of Hillingdon.
CELEBRATE WITH ICKENHAM SCHOOLS
DONATIONS
This month, receipt is acknowledged, with grateful thanks, for donations from:
Mark Wilson, on behalf of his mother Mrs Ruby Wilson of Cranleigh; Hillingdon Anglo-German Club; Beryl of Swakeleys Drive; Ickenham Art Society
Copy for the May issue of ICN should be with the team by 12 noon on 13th April.
