Exhibition Guide

Fears, Foes & Faeries Exhibition

This exhibition is the culmination of a three year project that is part of Precious
Cargo, Stories of the World - one of the key projects of the London 2012
Cultural Olympiad. It has involved Scarborough Museums Trust working with
young people from its youth engagement group cultiv8, Scarborough Maritime
Heritage Centre and students from University of Hull, Scarborough.
At the heart of the exhibition is the bizarre and beguiling collection of charms
and amulets collected by Scarboroughs most curious curator William James
Clarke. Clarkes tiny objects, collected between 1913 and 1945, are not only
fascinating in themselves but are also key to many tales of folklore and local
superstition, some of which are on the verge of being lost to time and others
that still survive in some form today.
The exhibition has fve key themes Safety at Sea, Birds and Beasts, Witches,
Faeries and Health, all taking as their starting point the wonderful collection of
William J Clarke.
Safety at Sea explores the charms and superstitions that helped sailors and
fshermen in this dangerous profession alongside the practical developments
such as lifebelts which really did make a diference.
Birds and Beasts is an examination of how some animals have been attributed
with the most strange skills and belief systems.
Witches throughout history have been feared and reviled yet we have
maintained our fascination with them all the same. In this exhibition youll fnd
them alongside faeries. Faeries are thought of as delightful, if mischievous,
little friends, but they were often blamed for the inexplicable happenings and
so could also be a source of fear.
Read on to fnd out more about Clarke and the fascinating world of charms and
superstitions.
Karen Snowden, Head of Collections
Introduction Exhibition Plan 1st Floor
stairs
balcony
male toilets
female toilets
Downstairs
to cafe
& shop
Clarke
Introduction
Charms & Exhibits
Interactive Game
Charms & Exhibits
Workshops
Interactive Game
Charms & Exhibits
Interactive Game
Charms & Exhibits
Charms & Exhibits Childrens Corner
Charms & Exhibits
Charmacy
Safety at Sea Witchcraft
Birds & Beasts Faeries
Safety at Sea
The sea could be a very dangerous workplace and, until
the 20th century, few sailors or fshermen could swim.
Storms, accidents and dehydration due to seasickness
and illness contributed to the hazards of a life at sea.
To manage their fears fshermen and their families
developed a large number of superstitious beliefs. Coins were often placed
underneath the mast of a boat to bring good luck to her; a boat that had been
beset by misfortune might be knocked against the harbour wall to knock out
the witches. A number of found items such as sea urchin jaws, stones and
seeds, the more exotic the better, were given the power to prevent death by
drowning.
The practical measures taken to improve safety at sea began with the
introduction of lighthouses; the earliest recorded being the lighthouse at
Alexandria c. 280 BC. The compass followed in the 14th century and by the
19th century navigational aids such as the marine chronometer and the octant
allowed for more precise plotting of latitude and longitude.
Henry Greathead designed the frst lifeboat in the late 18th century and in 1801
Scarborough became one of the frst ports to build a lifeboat. In the Great Gale
of 1880, 8 boats were wrecked of Scarborough but not one life was lost due
to the work of the lifeboat crew and the rocket men. The rocket apparatus was
invented in the early 19th century by John Dennett. A rocket attached to a thin
rope was fred from the shore to the distressed boat and a
thicker rope was then pulled across by the crew, who were
removed one at a time using a breeches buoy. This was a
rescue device, like a life belt with a pair of canvas drawers
(breeches) attached, invented by Thomas Kisbee in 1832.
There are many diferent designs of lifebelts, most
coloured in red and white as these colours are easy to
spot in the water. The materials used in lifebelts have
changed over time in tandem with technology; early
types were made using cork and painted canvas. Lifebelts
had the boats registration details painted on them. SH are
Scarboroughs registration letters.
Navigating
dangers and fears
William James Clarke
William James Clarke was born in Scarborough in
1871. His father, Richard Clarke, founded Clarkes
Aerated Waters and Bottling Company Limited in
1889. Clarke was interested in the natural world
from an early age and soon abandoned his career
in printing to set up a shop dealing in natural history specimens, fshing tackle
and taxidermy at 44 Huntriss Row in Scarborough. His brother, Richard Edward
Clarke (1878-1954), trained at the Scarborough School of Art and specialised in
landscapes and watercolours. Although he did not appear to share his brothers
artistic abilities Clarke was a keen wildlife photographer.
The collection of a lifetime
Clarke was frst and foremost a naturalist and it is likely that the role of birds
and animals in British folklore is what interested him in the subject. He carefully
recorded the use, date and location of each charm using old business cards and
kept them in two wooden display cabinets.
He also compiled four densely packed notebooks. Each notebook contained
observations on local folk customs, quotes from published sources and news
cuttings. Clarke also conducted lively correspondence with other folklore
collectors, although he never contributed to any journals on the subject. The
earliest items in his collection date from 1891 when he was twenty years old
and he continued collecting right up to his death
in 1945 even though, by then, folklore had become
unfashionable.
Clarkes greatest body of work was his records of
fsh species on the Yorkshire Coast, which spanned
60 years. He made a number of contributions to The
Naturalist (Journal for Natural History for the North of
England), the most memorable being his article on the
Loggerhead Turtle washed up on Scarboroughs North
Bay in 1850, and one on a giant squid. The giant squid,
washed up on the South Bay on 14th January 1933,
was a type previously unknown to science and experts
at the Natural History Museum named it Archeteuthis
clarkeii in his honour.
William James Clarke
William J Clarkes shop
at 44 Huntriss Row
Jaws of a Sea Urchin,
Echino melo carried to
prevent drowning.
Jersey 1912
Lifebelt from
Steam Trawler Beru
William J Clarke holding
a specimen of a squid
Charmacy & Health
Until the 17th century Western European medicine was based on ancient Greek
medical theory. Hippocrates (c 460-377 BC) explained health and illness in
terms of the balance of four humours in the body. They were blood, yellow bile,
phlegm, and black bile. Each of the humours had certain properties: blood was
hot and wet, yellow bile hot and dry, phlegm cold and wet and black bile cold
and dry. Each humour had a colour which explained why people had diferent
skin colours and temperaments. Each humour was also linked to the four
elements of the universe described by Greek science: blood to air, yellow bile to
fre, phlegm to water and black bile to earth.
The theory of the four humours
underpinned much folk medicine long
after it had been abandoned by doctors.
Many people took a belt and braces
approach to illness, consulting a doctor, an
apothecary and a wise woman.
But I bless God, I never have been in so good
plight as to my healthBut am at a great
loss to know whether it be my Hares foote, or
taking every morning a pill of Turpentine, or
having left of the wearing of a gowne.
Samuel Pepys 31 December 1664.
The theory of the four humours
Birds & Beasts
Birds and animals are central to British folklore as, until the 20th century, most
people lived in small towns or villages. Religion, the natural world and everyday
life were all intimately connected, creating a rich folklore. Embellished religious
stories were used to explain why birds have diferent colours or to explain their
behaviour. It was said that the magpie used to be completely white, but it
refused to go into full mourning (all black) when Christ died. As a punishment
it is forced to wear half mourning (black and white) forever. Some birds and
animals, like the robin, black cat or rabbit, were lucky; others, especially birds
with dark feathers, were linked to terrible events such as storms or a death in
the family. Magpies, jackdaws and crows could tell the future:
One for sorrow, two for mirth,
Three for a wedding, and four for a birth,
Five for silver, six for gold,
Seven for a story never to be told.
Elaborate rituals had to be followed to
avoid the evil efects of seeing only one bird.
A Yorkshireman would cross his thumbs
and recite:
I cross the magpie,
The magpie crosses me,
Bad luck to the magpie,
Good luck to me.
The skins, limbs, fesh, bones and skulls of
various birds and animals were used to make
charms to protect against accident and sickness.
Robins, rabbits and rituals
Milk tooth of a calf worn by a
baby to help it cut its teeth.
London 1924.
Rabbits foot
carried to bring
good luck.
Downhams Chemist Shop
c 1885, 4 Rd, Scarborough
Magpie
Charmacy & Health
Belief in the existence of faeries was
widespread in Britain for centuries. In his book
The Secret Commonwealth of Elves, Fauns and Fairies
published in 1691, the Reverend Robert Kirk described
faerie folk as distributed in tribes and orders, and
have children, nurses, marriages, deaths and burials in
appearance even as we.
Faeries were dangerous as they would steal human
babies, drink milk from cows, cause people to become
lost, and shoot arrows into both cows and people.
In this part of Yorkshire the Hob is the most common
faerie. In appearance Hobs are like small, ugly,
hairy men usually dressed in rags. They hide by
day but at night they secretly perform chores for
the household. The traditional reward was a daily
dish of cream but, should the householder leave
skimmed milk instead of cream, the Hob could turn
nasty and become very
destructive. If given a gift
of clothing the Hob would
promptly disappear never to return. Hobs could be
found at Glaisdale, Farndale, Lastingham, Barnsdale,
Hasty Bank in Bilsdale, Hawnby, Goathland, Egton
High Moor and Scugdale.
At the bottom of Runswick Bay is a large cavern
in the alum rocktermed by the superstitious
fshermen Hob-Hole or the residence of the Hob
and is supposed to possess the power of curing
whooping cough
Notes & Records of Charms, Amulets, Mascots and
Superstitions Vol I, 1911, p.135, W.J. Clarke
Friend or foe?
Faeries
A Moonlight Party,
colour illustration
F Harrison published in
The Story Hour Book by
Blackie & Sons C1910
Prehistoric
Arrowhead
Today diarrhoea is usually an unpleasant by-product of food poisoning or a
virus. Until the late 19th century there was no food hygiene, and water was
often contaminated by human and industrial waste. Diarrhoea could be a
symptom of rather more dangerous illnesses such as typhoid or dysentery.
Doctors could not treat these diseases and practices such as bleeding or the
use of purgatives could actually make them much worse. Those who could
not aford the doctors fees would use charms like the acorn necklace which
were no more efective than the medicines but, on the whole, a good deal
safer. Medicine was only able to treat bacterial infections after the discovery of
penicillin in the 1930s.
Compression or carnelian?
Bleeding caused by accidents or as a by-product of illness could be very
frightening. The red fecked jasper, or red carnelian, appeared to be blood
stained so sympathetic magic dictated that
they must be able to stop bleeding.
Diarrhoea, doctors and danger
Acorn necklace worn as a cure
diarrhoea, Kent 1913
Jasper (known as bloodstone)
tie pin worn to prevent
bleeding. Sussex 1918.
Cultural Olympiad Witchcraft
The London 2012 Cultural Olympiad is the
largest cultural celebration in the history of the
modern Olympic and Paralympic Movement. It
ofers the whole of the UK the chance to be part
of London 2012 and inspire cross cultural creativity,
especially in young people.
Stories of the World is the Museums, Libraries and Archives contribution to the
London 2012 Cultural Olympiad and involves over 50 museums from across
the UK working together on seven projects. The focus has been on young
people, involving them in the process of creating new exhibitions designed to
appeal to new audiences everywhere and to welcome the world to the UK in
2012.
Precious Cargo is Yorkshires contribution to Stories of the World. Since 2009
young people throughout Yorkshire, have been involved in choosing objects
from museum collections for use in exhibitions, events, art and performances.
Scarborough Museums Trust is one of 15 Precious Cargo partners.
Charmed Lives
As a Precious Cargo partner Scarborough Museums Trust has received funding
to help establish a youth panel called cultiv8, commission research on the
William J Clarke collection and pay for conservation of a number of items from
the collection.
In 2011 Scarborough Museums Trust secured 46,200 from the Heritage
Lottery Fund for a project called Charmed Lives. This project enabled
Scarborough Museums Trust to work with cultiv8 and the Scarborough
Maritime Heritage Centre to carry out oral history recordings on the subjects
of superstitions surviving among the fshing community and superstitions
about health recalled by older residents. Their work has informed the design of
the Charmacy and Safety at Sea inter-actives and the exhibition content. The
designs of the three inter-actives are all based on work carried out by students
of the School of Arts and New Media at the University of Hull, Scarborough
Campus under the guidance of Rob MacKay.
Stories of the World
When Clarke was building his collection in the frst decades of the 20th
century, the holed stones, witch bottles and rowan loops used to guard
against witches were regarded as quaint countryside superstitions. This is in
stark contrast to the 16th and 17th centuries belief in witches and their power
to do harm (known as malefcium) which was almost universal.
During this period several hundred people, mostly women, were charged with
using witchcraft to harm their neighbours. Many were hanged while others
died in prison awaiting trial. Once the accusation of witchcraft had been made
an old womans harmless pet could become a witchs familiar, a demon that
sucked her blood and did her bidding. The accused witch would be strip
searched by professional searchers looking for a witchs mark (often a mole,
freckle, birth mark or even piles). She would then be kept awake for days,
forced to sit on a stool for hours without moving, and denied food or water in
order extract a confession, which usually involved naming her accomplices.
If she survived all of the above, including pre-trial imprisonment, she might
be one of the lucky ones who escaped with just a fne. She would then
return to her village and continue to live alongside her accusers. So it is
hardly surprising that people felt the need for magical protection from the
malefcium of witches.
Scarborough has only one recorded witchcraft trial which took
place in 1652 before the Town Bailifs. Anne Marchant (alias
Anne Hunnam) was accused by Elizabeth Hodgson of using
witchcraft to make Frances Allen, a child of four, have fts.
Anne was subjected to the indignity of a strip search by
Margery Fish and Elizabeth Dale and a blew spott found
on Anne Hunnams left buttock. Anne was found innocent
and the jurors decided that her accuser, Elizabeth
Hodgson, who was probably a Cunning Woman did
unlawfully and wickedly use practise or exercise the
vocation or conjuration of evill and
wicked spirits and consult and
covenant therewith concerning
Frances Allen daughter of John
Allen of Scarborough.
To be or not to be
Seagulls heart pierced
with pins to punish or
reveal a witch. South
Devon 1910.
Scarborough Art Gallery
The Crescent, Scarborough YO11 2PW
Opening Hours: Tue - Sun 10am - 5pm(including Bank Holidays)
Accompanying Events
We have a large range of accompanying events
see: www.scarboroughartgallery.org.uk for more details
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and Paralympic Games Limited 2007. All rights reserved.