Picture 1

a. electric hair curlers – an early version of the better known Carmen Rollers used to put curls in hair.

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Picture 2

b. button stick – Brass buttons had to be polished regularly and to avoid dirtying the fabric this brass protector was placed under each button whilst it was cleaned. Commonly used by soldiers.

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Picture 3

c. ballot box – used for casting votes in secret ballots using black and white buttons. The saying being “black balled” comes from this type of voting only using balls instead of buttons.

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Picture 4

b. lead pencil – A nickel pencil made to hold leads by using a sliding action some 11cm long and cost 4½ d (approx 2 pence)

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Picture 5

b. powder measures - gunpowder was used for blasting out the slate. The powder was carried in these home-made boxes. Note the wooden plug for keeping the powder dry and the lip which allowed the powder to be poured easily and accurately.

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Picture 6

a. milkmaid's yoke – used to carry a pail of milk at each end back to the farm or dairy after the milking of the cows, a lot easier on the back and less chance of spillage.

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Here are a few exhibits from Easdale Island Folk Museum - see if you can guess what they are. Once you have made your guess, click on the 'answer' button to see if you were correct.
 

Picture 2

a. slate quarrier's razor blade
b. button stick
c. fisherman's net tool

Picture 1

a. electric curlers
b. Victorian chocolate fountain
c. Tardis hyperdrive transmodulator


 

Picture 4

a. dynamite boring tool
b. lead pencil
c. Dr Patrick Gillies' hypodermic needle

Picture 3

a. Earl of Breadalbane's radio
b. button box
c. ballot box


 

Picture 6

a. milkmaid's yoke
b. slate waggon cart horse yoke
c. egg yoke

Picture 5

a. quarrier's whisky bottle holders
b. gunpowder measures
c. wooden horseshoe covers to prevent sparks

Easdale Island Folk Museum - Easdale Island - Oban - Argyll - Scotland