Poignant legacy from the Dales' 'last prodigious knitter' gifted to incredible exhibition on knitting sticks

Now, following the exhibition success of some 400 of them at the Dales Countryside Museum (DCM) in Hawes, one particularly special knitting stick has been donated to its collection.

Martha Dinsdale of Appersett, said to be one of the last of the prodigious sock makers of the Dales, was photographed in 1947 knitting with this stick in a rocking chair which is already on display at the museum.

Now Dennis Iveson, of High Force at Bainbridge, has donated the heirloom after seeing the exhibition himself.

Ms Dinsdale’s son Owen Tom, a farmer ‘known for thrift’, had kept the stick until his death. His relative, Mr Iveson, had refused to let it be sold on.

He said: “It had to stay in the family, but nobody wants it now. I just thought it would be of interest to people coming to look. It should go back to the community.”

Such knitting sticks, as well as being used by farming families to supplement a meager income, were often gifted to a loved one as a token of affection.

Last year, one man's rare trove of 400 knitting sticks, collected over many years and from around the world, was brought together at the DCM for the incredible exhibition.

John Dixon, a 78-year-old retired carpet fitted from Shelley near Huddersfield, had gathered his collection over the course of two decades.

Some were small, for children, others for hardened miners, and still more with finely carved designs.

Collection

The DCM is run by the Yorkshire Dales National Park Authority (YDNPA). Kevin Frea, from the organisation, said: “We were thrilled to receive a donation of Martha Dinsdale’s knitting stick, prodder, ledger and two framed photographs.

"These will be a wonderful addition to Martha’s rocking chair which is already on display, having been donated many years ago by her son Owen Tom. Thanks so much to the donors for their generosity.

“Knitting is a huge part of the cultural heritage of the Dales. Our special exhibition has only a month to run; through the individuality of the knitting sticks you can get a sense of those that used them and the past is brought to life.”

The stick can be seen in the DCM’s textiles gallery, which compliments ‘Love Tokens, Sittings and Song – Knitting sticks from the John Dixon collection’, a special exhibition running until March 27.

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