MYSTERY OBJECTS

[Stanley]

Sun dial?

[Marilyn]

Object d'art?

[LizG]

I'd like one.

[Tizer]

It's not a sun dial. Whether or not it's an object d'art is probably in the eyes of the beholder, but that's not the main reason for its existence. I think it's a one-off and it's around 150 years old so Liz probably won't find one in her local shops. She could get a copy made by Stanley but if she wanted to put it into use she'd need to be able to tell him more about it than just giving him the photo.

[PanBiker]

It looks like the "dial" is fixed to the wall and the "portcullis" thingy in the middle rotates within using what looks like a knob in the middle. There are 66 fingers of differing lengths on the dial so 65 spaces, 4 x 3 grid on the portcullis with pointers on the bottom row.

Does it have an astronomical or lunar significance?

[Tizer]

"Does it have an astronomical or lunar significance?" The radial design deliberately gives it a `star' or `sun' appearance but otherwise I don't believe it has any astronomical or lunar significance. I don't think any of it rotates and the number of fingers isn't important. It's probably fair if I say there are two quite different aspects to this object; one is local and relates to its use, while the other is of national significance and relates to the portcullis.

[Cathy]

I see the outer 'rays' as representing sunrise and sunset, and the centre with arrows pointing down as a gate to close the entrance of a mine. Can't think what the bar across the front might mean, maybe it locks the gate somehow.

[Stanley]

Symbolic representation of the attempt to blow up Parliament by Guy Fawkes?

[plaques]

Some kind of animal / bird trap, or one way gate but can't see how it would work?

[Tizer]

Nobody is on the right track yet except for Stanley with his mention of Parliament (but forget Guy Fawkes).

[plaques]

Don't know much about the history of the House of Common's except that Burnley's first MP (Robert Shaw) was elected in 1868. This would fit in with it being 150 years old. Reading across to the mystery object it could be something to commemorate the first MP in that area. Well I tried.

[Tizer]

Let's ignore the artistic aspects of the design for now and concentrate on how it was used. A clue - it was brought out at times of national rejoicing, royal occasions, victories in war etc.

[PanBiker]

Is it a basket for a pole mounted beacon, looks a bit flimsy though?

[Stanley]

Mounted on top of a flagpole?

[Marilyn]

A rosette thingy? ( pleat the fabric through it). Pop flowers on.

[Cathy]

Are we all talking about the same thing...

[Tizer]

Ian has come closest with his "basket for a pole mounted beacon". When needed for an event it was mounted high up on the front of the Town Hall (in the town where it is kept), a bit like a clock would be mounted, and connected to a pipe. It would be used when darkness came and [a clue!] a match would have been needed to get it into action...

[PanBiker]

A fancy gas burner display then Tiz, antique glow in the dark thing?

[Cathy]

A Catherine Wheel Firework.

[Stanley]

A device to prevent pigeons perching on the flagpole.....

[Tizer]

A fancy gas burner display then Tiz, antique glow in the dark thing?

That's it, Ian. And Cathy's got the general idea except that it doesn't rotate as would a Catherine wheel. It's presently exhibited on a wall inside the Market Hall in Langport, Somerset. Here is the information plaque accompanying Langport's Flaming Star Gas Lamp:



The other aspect of interest is the portcullis badge, which is why I drew your attention to Stanley's mentioning Parliament - a portcullis is now the symbol of our Parliament. The plaque describes how the portcullis was on the arms of Lady Margaret Beaufort, mother of Henry VII. A very powerful lady, she ended up with a large fortune and much land in the West Country and Northamptonshire. Much of that was eventually inherited by her grandson, Henry VIII, so in a way she gave him his initial power. Note that the Beaufort portcullis doesn't have a crown, whereas the Parliament one does. It was added later, I think in Henry VIII's time. It's worth reading more about Lady Margaret Beaufort and there's an article from the magazine History Today on this web page: LINK

The following is taken from this PDF: Portcullis

Since 1967, the crowned portcullis has been used exclusively on House of Commons stationery. It replaced an oval device, which had been in use since the turn of the twentieth century, on the recommendation of the Select Committee on House of Commons (Services). The portcullis probably came to be associated with the Palace of Westminster through its use, along with Tudor roses, fleurs-de-lys and pomegranates, as decoration in the rebuilding of the Palace after the fire of 1512.
The portcullis was the badge of John Beaufort, Marquess of Dorset and Somerset (c.1371-1410), bastard son of John of Gaunt, Duke of Lancaster (1340-1399), and was subsequently adopted by his great-grandson, Henry Tudor (later Henry VII) whose mother was Lady Margaret Beaufort (1443-1509). Henry VII (1485-1509) and Henry VIII (1509-1547), the first and second sovereigns of the Tudor dynasty, employed the portcullis as a badge and probably used it in the Palace, as elsewhere. It was under the Tudors that the Palace of Westminster ceased to be the seat of the Court and became the regular meeting place of Parliament. The portcullis as now used in the Palace of Westminster is commonly surmounted by a crown, which makes it specifically a royal symbol, even though the original use by the Beauforts was of an uncrowned portcullis. There has been little consistency about inclusion of the crown over the years.

[Stanley]

Ingenious.... Have a crack at this one....

[Cathy]

Mmmm interesting...
So far I can only think it could be a hand held massager or a kitchen timer.

[PanBiker]

I think I will agree with massager.

[Big Kev]

And me, it's a hand held massager