Breast-feeding hatch?
(Noted at Tean Hall Mills). According to authorities as highly-regarded in the field of ancient textile mills as Barrie Trinder, the late Michael Stratton and the now-defunct Royal Commission for Historical Monuments of England, the hatch to the right of the door in this photograph is to facilitate breast-feeding of babies (outside the mill) by working mothers (in the mill).
According to the 1992 report, the hole cut in the hatch enables the mother to present the breast to the baby. How each baby could be sure it got the right milk (and vice versa) it is not clear; why it was not possible to provide a room for this activity, who knows? We suspect the interpretation is perhaps not quite right? It seems more likely that this is in fact a hatch for paying workers. However we remain open-minded and invite comment. The project is ongoing...
According to the 1992 report, the hole cut in the hatch enables the mother to present the breast to the baby. How each baby could be sure it got the right milk (and vice versa) it is not clear; why it was not possible to provide a room for this activity, who knows? We suspect the interpretation is perhaps not quite right? It seems more likely that this is in fact a hatch for paying workers. However we remain open-minded and invite comment. The project is ongoing...
posted by Ironbridge Archaeology at 08:30
5 Comments:
This does seem rather unlikely to me. Do you have a reference for the original report?
A breast feeding hatch sounds a bit far fetched to me
Steph
I am a registered breastfeeding supporter and tutor with The Breastfeeding Network. I would like to visit and view the hatch, I live in nearby Cheadle. Who could I get in touch with about a visit? Could you get back to me please?
bws,
Jenny.
jenny@richardson7.adsl24.co.uk
It is correct, contact Tean historian Ivy Brunt, she will tell you all about the mill. Just go to Tean and ask, everybody knows her!
This photo of the hatch is identical to the breast feeding hatch at Tean. I took photos of this. The breast feeding hatch was used by women at work. The baby minder would bring the baby to the hatch, the mother would stop her work duties and go to the breastfeeding hole to feed the baby. No contact was made with mother and child. The baby minder would hold the baby up to the hole to be fed. Mr Dawson who still lives in the village remembers his mother feeding her baby this way.
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