MYSTERY OBJECTS

[Marilyn]

Box of disposable gloves?!

[Cathy]

Tissues in a festive red box

[chinatyke]

I agree with Marilyn. To protect your gammy finger whilst you're in the shed.

[Stanley]

Bugger me! Maz and China have got it immediately and yes, I thought they would be a good idea in the shed!
You'll have to come up with another one now.....

[Stanley]

Ah well, I know you need something to keep you occupied over Xmas so I shall go and have a furtle.....



We all have one of these, somewhere to put the stuff that hasn't an obvious home anywhere else. But in this case, what can you tell me about the bowl...... (If you immediately remember it for God's sake let others have a go!)

[Stanley]

Waken up at the back!

[Marilyn]

Treen...

[Cathy]

Is it a 'floor saver' that you put under furniture legs?

[Tizer]

A base for a small Christmas tree...
or the wheel that came off the UK's Brexit Plan.

[Stanley]

Thanks for responding..... No it isn't any of those. When I first saw it I was told it was a pipe-smoker's ashtray and the hard rubber knob in the centre was for knocking your pipe out. That was why I bought it from a curio shop. Years later I saw an article on nutcrackers and that's what this is. It had a small hammer with it and you cracked nuts with the hammer on the rubber centre. That seemed a far more likely explanation.....
Next one for Xmas?

[Stanley]

Sorry about the quality, pulled out of a larger pic. What is it?

[Marilyn]

A stone water bowl, for stock.

[Marilyn]

There is an echo in here!

[Tizer]

A rotary quern for grinding corn?

[Stanley]

Maz. You're right, it's a stone feeding trough but why is it that shape? You never thought it was that easy did you?
Sorry Tiz, no......

[PanBiker]

You can get more beasts around it or for easier moving from one location to another?

[Stanley]

You're getting warm Ian. Movement comes into the equation but you haven't quite got there.....

[Gloria]

Is it so food doesn't get trapped in corners and can be easily licked out.

[Wendyf]

I'm sure I remember something about bulls with rings in their noses last time this cropped up.

[Tizer]

It's that shape for H&S reasons, so there are no sharp corners on which livestock can injure themselves...or because it's very heavy and the circular shape allows the farmer to roll it from place to place. On the other hand it might have just been the fashion at the time to have round feeding bowls!

[chinatyke]

I'm sure I remember something about bulls with rings in their noses last time this cropped up.

You've jogged my memory Wendy. Wasn't it something to do with Bull baiting?

[Stanley]

You are all so close but not spot on. Time I opened up. It's a bull trough and was that shape because bulls have a habit of knocking their trough about if they want more food. This shape and made heavily of stone was bull proof, they could roll it round but not break it. One farmer told me he thought it was a good thing in another way, it kept the bull occupied because his seemed to be playing with it.
Next one?

[Stanley]

Can anyone tell me what this is and where it is?

[Wendyf]

I can tell you what it is but not where. There is one in Trawden, or there was, I'm not sure if it is still there.

[Gloria]

Tram shelter??