The Blind Weaver of Bearwood
In the 1960s the Women’s Institute researched the history of the parish of Pembridge. As part of this project several of the older residents were interviewed. One such was Ernest Lane who recalled that as a young boy, at the turn of the 20th Century, he earned pocket money as an assistant to “Blind Leek” a basket weaver. Here’s what he had to say:-
“Having been born blind, Blind Leek appeared to possess heightened senses. He learned to make baskets and had his own withy† bed. At night he went to this marshy place and cut great bundles of canes for his work the next day. As he dropped many of these while cutting them and carrying them home, he employed me to pick them up. I went after school to help him and was paid one penny a week. We became great friends and I accompanied him on his basket selling expeditions.
On one occasion we took baskets to Mr John Bounds, a farmer and Wesleyan preacher, who lived at Lowe Farm. As we approached, Mr Bounds shouted to us not to come any further as there was a furious bull loose. I dodged through the hedge to safety in a field, but Blind Leek continued to walk down the lane. When he came in reach of the bull, he put out his hand and said a few soothing words. The bull immediately became calm and Blind Leek led it into the farmyard. The farmer was amazed and asked him if he had not been frightened. He replied “No, no animal would ever harm me”.
On another occasion he was going, loaded with baskets, down Folly Broom, near a deep stretch of the river which was in full spate. There was a single plank across which he felt for and started to cross. In mid-stream he slipped and fell into the fast-flowing river. However, the load of baskets gave him buoyancy and he floated to safety.
Blind Leek lived with his niece and worked in a little shack. The remains of this are still visible today on the Byway in Bearwood. One day a woman visited him there to buy a basket. He charged 2 shillings for a basket. The woman tried to trick him by paying him one penny. Despite being blind, Blind Leek immediately recognised that he had been cheated and ran after the woman. She tried to escape by dodging here and there but Leek caught up with her, snatched his basket back and threw the penny at her.
Leek’s baskets were of good quality as Ernest recalls being told by Mrs Morris of Weston Court that she still had one of his baskets some 60 years later. Leek was clearly a very resourceful fellow, but when his niece died of tuberculosis, he found himself homeless and lived for a while in his tiny workshop where there was a well for water but few other conveniences.
His story does however have a happy ending as he gained lodgings with a widow who lived in Bearwood, romance bloomed and later they were married.
† A withy is a Herefordshire word for a willow.
Kay Ingram
