The History of Basket Making
Basket making is one of the oldest known crafts there is. Its origin dates back to pre-pottery, with the oldest basket on record was found in the Neolithic period, with other examples coming from 9250BC and 8000BC. Much like crochet and similar crafts, baskets and willow weavings can’t be made by machine, so all pieces must be made by hand by an artisan. In an ideal world, this should mean skilled basket makers are in high demand, but unfortunately this isn’t the case. Because of the exploitation of workers to mass-produce baskets with synthetic materials, the art of basketry has declined over the years.
Almost all cultures have some kind of basketry craft and the North East of England is no exception. In coastal towns like Cullercoats, basket making was integral to supporting the Coble Fishing industry – a type of fishing developed in the North East using traditional open boats. Artists such as Winslow Homer showed fisher girls working on the beaches of the Northumberland using these baskets. Often women used a Northumbrian Fishwife’s Creel to carry fish, which were caught by the men of their family, to take to market. We owe the preservation of this cultural heritage to groups like the Northumberland Basketry Group and their research.
Liz Beech and the Northumberland Basketry Group
Liz Beech is a member of the Northumberland Basketry Group who runs workshops at the Land of Oak & Iron. Her father, Arthur, was blinded in a tragic accident, and so decided to retrain into basketry. He worked at a basket shop for the blind until he became a manual factory worker to support his wife and three children. Arthur kept his basketry tools, inherited by Liz upon his death in 2006.
Liz had always been aware of these strange tools in her house, but didn’t pick them up until after her degree. She studied at Goldsmiths London, earning her bachelor’s degree in Fine Arts and later discovering the Northumbrian Basketry Group. With the group she learned how to use her father’s tools and added working with willow to her repertoire. Now Liz runs community workshops focused on the outdoors, including gardening and of course, basketry.
“I see basket making as the ultimate in sustainability – it grows locally, it’s harvested and dried, it’s then woven into a useable, practical item that is biodegradable. Perfect – what goes around comes around!” – Liz
Learning More
Want to try out basket making or sculpting with willow? Liz holds workshops at the Land of Oak & Iron Heritage Centre in Winlaton Mill, working with willow to make beautiful sculptures. The workshop creations are reusable and made with natural materials, making them excellent gifts and home décor. If you’re into crafts and sustainability, definitely check them out!
Want to learn more about basketry and heritage crafts? Below you will find links to all the sources used in this blog post, alongside the link to the Northumbrian Basketry Group.
