Basket Making in Jersey - Part 1
by Charles Tyler
BASKET-MAKING used to be a flourishing trade in Jersey; today there is just one practitioner left. At 85 years of age, Alfred Pierre Laurent carries on his family's traditional trade and has recently seen his own work displayed in a Jersey museum for future generations to admire.
Alfred Laurent grew up in Jersey with basket-making in his blood. His family, who came from Normandy, all started `weaving the willow' at an early age and he grew up with a strong sense that his family was the only one on the island to be all basket-makers. In the past there were at least eight master-craftsmen making baskets in Jersey, with up to 80 others employed in the trade. As in other places, though, the basket trade has largely disappeared in recent years as artificial and non-returnable materials have replaced the traditional wicker.
In the Middle Ages willows were grown on most manor lands, and the peasants would have made baskets in the winter; in towns basket-makers formed their own craft guilds. Baskets were essential for carrying and measuring produce. But the craft's greatest boom came in the Industrial Revolution, when hampers, trunks and baskets were used in textile mills, potteries, shoe factories and mines. Today, however, there are only a few craftsmen still making baskets by hand in the traditional way, although many are still produced around the world in factories.
A master basket-maker would have made a whole range of models, each for a particular job. In Jersey, which has been primarily an agricultural and fishing community, there were different baskets for carrying potatoes, market-produce, fish, prawns and, of course, laundry. In fact, the Laurent family used to make 26 different items for various uses. For example, potato-baskets need to be very tough, and are consequently constructed of split cane. In contrast, tomato-baskets need to be smooth inside, so that the skins are not damaged; these are constructed with the outside of the cane, which is smooth, facing inwards.
Until quite recently, Alfred Laurent had a shop in St. Helier, and together with the rest of his family would make about 40 baskets a week; now on his own, he reckons to make about one each day, but he still has many regular customers who prefer to have a basket made to order for their particular requirement. Not only are the finished products very durable and long-lasting, but they are also extremely attractive, many of them being purpose-designed by Mr Laurent. Prawn-baskets are a good example. Although the most expensive type of basket which he makes (about £45 each), they represent at least five hours extremely skilled work.
Other baskets sell within the £12-£20 bracket depending upon their size and the amount of work that has gone into their making. In the past when the whole family were making baskets, and the demand was greater, the craft provided a reasonable living; today, Mr Laurent continues mainly to keep himself occupied in the mornings, and to keep his fingers supple. Also, of course, he provides a valuable service to his long-established customers by repairing older or damaged baskets.
The raw materials which he uses include centre cane and split natural cane (Calamus species), both of which grow in swampy regions in the Far East. Willow (Salix species) is also an important material, having a darker colour than the cane. Most willows in Britain today grow in the rich alluvial Somerset `moors', and Mr Laurent gets his from there. Although a bundle is now about £20, he reckons that Somerset willow is the finest quality, having the greatest strength and elasticity - or, as basket-makers say, it has a `good nature'.
BASKET-MAKING used to be a flourishing trade in Jersey; today there is just one practitioner left. At 85 years of age, Alfred Pierre Laurent carries on his family's traditional trade and has recently seen his own work displayed in a Jersey museum for future generations to admire.
Alfred Laurent grew up in Jersey with basket-making in his blood. His family, who came from Normandy, all started `weaving the willow' at an early age and he grew up with a strong sense that his family was the only one on the island to be all basket-makers. In the past there were at least eight master-craftsmen making baskets in Jersey, with up to 80 others employed in the trade. As in other places, though, the basket trade has largely disappeared in recent years as artificial and non-returnable materials have replaced the traditional wicker.
In the Middle Ages willows were grown on most manor lands, and the peasants would have made baskets in the winter; in towns basket-makers formed their own craft guilds. Baskets were essential for carrying and measuring produce. But the craft's greatest boom came in the Industrial Revolution, when hampers, trunks and baskets were used in textile mills, potteries, shoe factories and mines. Today, however, there are only a few craftsmen still making baskets by hand in the traditional way, although many are still produced around the world in factories.
A master basket-maker would have made a whole range of models, each for a particular job. In Jersey, which has been primarily an agricultural and fishing community, there were different baskets for carrying potatoes, market-produce, fish, prawns and, of course, laundry. In fact, the Laurent family used to make 26 different items for various uses. For example, potato-baskets need to be very tough, and are consequently constructed of split cane. In contrast, tomato-baskets need to be smooth inside, so that the skins are not damaged; these are constructed with the outside of the cane, which is smooth, facing inwards.
Until quite recently, Alfred Laurent had a shop in St. Helier, and together with the rest of his family would make about 40 baskets a week; now on his own, he reckons to make about one each day, but he still has many regular customers who prefer to have a basket made to order for their particular requirement. Not only are the finished products very durable and long-lasting, but they are also extremely attractive, many of them being purpose-designed by Mr Laurent. Prawn-baskets are a good example. Although the most expensive type of basket which he makes (about £45 each), they represent at least five hours extremely skilled work.
Other baskets sell within the £12-£20 bracket depending upon their size and the amount of work that has gone into their making. In the past when the whole family were making baskets, and the demand was greater, the craft provided a reasonable living; today, Mr Laurent continues mainly to keep himself occupied in the mornings, and to keep his fingers supple. Also, of course, he provides a valuable service to his long-established customers by repairing older or damaged baskets.
The raw materials which he uses include centre cane and split natural cane (Calamus species), both of which grow in swampy regions in the Far East. Willow (Salix species) is also an important material, having a darker colour than the cane. Most willows in Britain today grow in the rich alluvial Somerset `moors', and Mr Laurent gets his from there. Although a bundle is now about £20, he reckons that Somerset willow is the finest quality, having the greatest strength and elasticity - or, as basket-makers say, it has a `good nature'.
A basket made in the lance cordee style, the handle woven into
the base.
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