One of the items that we have just catalogued is a simple looking small wooden hinged box. When you slide the dual clasps and lift the lid, you find treasure awaits!
The box is lined with a dark blue velvet/moleskin styled material, that covers the inset spaces for geometry instruments. A small wooden ruler is tucked in near to the hinge.
Written in ink around the rim of the box is “C. C. DeFew 1872” (near the hinges) and “Reward for Scripture Xmas 1871” near the clasps.
The C. C. DeFew here, is Charles Cranfield Defew, one of the sons of Charles Defew – a saddler, and his wife Eliza, who lived on Main Street, Littleport. Charles junior was born in Littleport in 1859, and therefore this geometry set would have been his at the age of about 12yrs old. Whether it was given to him by his parents or as a reward for good school work or bible studies, we’ll never know, but we’re lucky to have this lovely item in our collection.
You can take a look at a few of Charles’ other items we’ve catalogued so far via our online catalogue – including a photograph, his memorial card, and his memoir.
Latest Acquisitions
Other items that we have recently received into the archive are;
