A local toast rack

Market Lavington Museum’s artefacts have almost all arrived as donations. These must have some connection to the villages of Market Lavington and Easterton – maybe made there or used there. We never know what might turn up next. This week, it was a toast rack.

It has a handle and places for four pieces of toast.

Unusually, it is made of china. What makes it of special interest to our museum is that it was not only used in Market Lavington, but there is an image of our village High Street on each end section.

We know nothing about its age or where it was made, but we will make an educated guess and, as usual, welcome comments with anyone who can further our knowledge.

Pictures of the crossroads dating from 1903 and 1904 have the large lamp on the shop on the corner with White Street, but the lighting had changed by 1911.

Alf Burgess – Photographer on the High Street, from the 1880s and into the early years of the 20th century, not only sold his photographs but had many made into postcards and also had items for sale with a Market Lavington connection.

We have Quite a collection of these in the museum.

Our best guess about the toast rack is that an Alf Burgess photographer’s picture was used and that these toast racks were on sale in his shop, but do let us know if you can confirm or deny this theory.