Probus Club members enjoy interesting talk on basket making

THE July meeting of Shepshed Probus Club was held in the restaurant section of Junction 23 Truck Stop at 12.30pm on July 3.

There was the usual discussion of club business followed by grace after which the members sat down to a very enjoyable four course lunch.

Our speaker this month was Keith Hodkinson whose topic was ‘Basket Making in the Soar Valley.’

Keith, who is a member of the East Leake and Soar Valley Historical Society then presented his talk with the use of slides and samples - who knew basket making could be so interesting?!

Keith is an expert on the history of the people of the Soar Valley which took in West Leake, Ratcliffe-on-Soar, Kegworth and East Leake as well as being fully versed in basket production.

At one time basket making was one of the very important industries in this area, before knitting and over agriculture. It didn’t really die out until the appearance of plastic bags.

Basket weaving is one of the oldest professions (think of Moses in his basket) where willow withies, very flexible thin sticks, were used. Willow trees were very prolific on the banks of the River Soar.

As well as providing a living for the basket makers, willow also provides the wood for cricket bats and the chemical salicylic acid which used to make aspirin, now made synthetically.

There are two Blue Plaques on the chip shop in East Leake which is next door to a building where basket making took place. These commemorate basket making in the area.

After thanking Keith for his most interesting talk, the president reminded all members that the next meeting would be on August 7.