ENGLAND: THE OTHER WITHIN

Ellen Ettlinger and the Aran Isles

The 'Other Within' research project is concerned with the English collections at the Pitt Rivers Museum but it has proved impossible to look at Ettlinger's English catalogue cards without examining the others as well. A surprising large number of these relate to the Aran Islands which lie to the west of Ireland.

The Aran Islands: short introduction

A group of three islands located at the mouth of the Galway River in the west of Ireland. The largest island is Inishmore (Inis Mór), the second largest island is Inishmaan (Inis Meáin) and the third and smallest is Inisheer (Inis Oirr). They now form part of County Galway.

The islands were known for their traditional life which was largely self-sufficient. Seaweed was used to increase the fertility of the soil, to grown potatoes and other vegetables. Cattle and sheep were grazed on grass within stone-wall enclosures. The sheep yarn was used to make handwoven trousers, skirts and jackets, handknitted sweaters, shawls, caps and the rawhide used to make shoes. Fishing was also an important source of food.

Ettlinger's visits to the Aran Islands

It is known that Ettlinger travelled to the Aran Islands in 1949 with her friend Ingegärd Vallin of Boras Museum, Sweden. Whilst there she seems to have taken the opportunity to photograph a good deal, as did her friend. Here is a comprehensive list of the photographs they took and their subjects (as described by Ettlinger):

Ettlinger: [26 images in all]
1965.5.1 .128 Costumes Ireland Aran Isles Mrs Patrick Maher of Inishmaan Note flimsy but colourful shawl which was imported during the Second World War from Germany
1965.5.1 .131-133 Costumes Ireland Aran Isles 1949
1965.5.1 .204 Farmlife Ireland Gap in stonewall on Aran Isles, 1949 The stones in the triangle have to be taken down, if someone wants to enter the plot of land. At Oatquarter
1965.5.1 .229 Festivals St John's Eve, Ireland In the center [sic] of the photo is a stone altar on which fires are lit on St John's Eve Aran Isles 1949
1965.5.1 .304 Handicraft Ireland Bleaching wool on Aran Isles, 1949
1965.5.1 .308 Handicraft Ireland Bleaching woolen [sic] garments Seven Churches, Aran Isles
1965.5.1 .312a Handicraft Ireland Mrs Pat Coneeny, Bungowla Aran Isles 1949 with her spinning wheel
1965.5.1 .314 Mr Gillan's spinning wheel Oatquarter Aran Isles 1949
1965.5.1 .316 Handicraft Ireland The weaver Mr Gillan of Oatquarter Aran Isles 1949 Note the straw ring on which the wool ball is placed
1965.5.1 .323 Handicraft Ireland Weaving of the crioss (belt) Seven Churches Aran Isles 1949
1965.5.1 .432 Holed stone at Monasterkieran Aran Islands 1949
1965.5.1 .443 Cursing stone In front of Holy Ghost Bed at Seven Churches Aran Isles 1949
1965.5.1 .485 Transport Hooker There is no turf on the Aran Isles and it is brought over from Connemara in boats which are called "hooker". They take back sea-weeds from which iodine is extracted on the mainland or passengers
1965.5.1 .487 Transport Hooker
1965.5.1 .488 Transport Hooker
1965.5.1 .496 Transport, Carts Pig transport Aran Isles 1949
1965.5.1 .499 Transport, Cart Cart of Mr Thomas Derrane, Lower Oatquarter Aran Isles 1949
1965.5.1 .501 Transport of water Aran Isles 1949
1965.5.1 .502 Transport of water Aran Isles 1949
1965.5.1 .507-508 Turf Transport on Aran Isles 1949
1965.5.1 .511 Turf cutting at Ross Ireland 1949
1965.5.1 .555 Villages Ireland Thatched cabin at Oatquarter Aran Isles 1949
1965.5.1 .571 Votive offerings Coins, religious medals, buttons, pins etc at the Holy Well at the Church of the four beautiful Saints Aran Isles 1949

Vallin: [24 in total]
1965.5.1 .129-130 Costumes Ireland Aran Isles Man wearing homespun tweed. Schoolteacher wearing flimsy colourful shawl
1965.5.1 .134 Costumes Ireland Aran Isles 1949
1965.5.1 .199 Farmlife (Ireland) Cutting corn with a sickle on Inishmaan, Aran Islands 1949
1965.5.1 .305-307 Handicraft Ireland Bleaching wool on Aran Isles, 1949
1965.5.1 .312-315 [excluding 314] Handicraft Ireland Mrs Pat Coneeny, Bungowla, Aran Isles 1949 with her spinning wheel
1965.5.1 .316 Handicraft Ireland The weaver Mr Gillan of Oatquarter Aran Isles 1949
1965.5.1 .318-319 Handicraft Ireland The strawring on which Mr Gillan of Oatquarter, Aran Isles placed the wool ball 1949 to keep the wool clean
1965.5.1 .320-321 Handicraft Ireland The weaver Mr Gillan of Oatquarter Aran Isles at his loom 1949
1965.5.1 .324 Mrs Dirraine of Seven Churches, Aran Isles who does not speak any English selling us a crioss (belt) 1949
1965.5.1 .494 - 495 Transport, Carts 1. Side cart, Aran Isles 1949 2. Farm cart, Aran Isles 1949
1965.5.1 .551-553 Villages Ireland Thatched cottages on Aran Isles 1949
1965.5.1 .558-560 Villages Ireland Stone walls on Inisheer and Inishmaan on Aran Isles 1949

A lot of the photographs taken by Ettlinger and Vallin reflect the traditional view of life on the islands.

Thomas Holmes Mason of Dublin

Note that since this page was first written Enda Delaney (Reader in Modern History,  School of History, Classics and Archaeology,  University of Edinburgh) very kindly informed the author that there is a very useful biography of Thomas Mason in the recently published Dictionary of Irish Biography available here.

In addition, Ettlinger collected 33 photographs of the Islands from Thomas H. Mason of Dublin. She obtained them from him in 1948, either by purchase or by gift. I have not been able to retrieve a great deal of information about this photographer. He was obviously a keen folklorist and wrote a book, 'The Islands of Ireland: their scenery, people, life, and antiquities' [Batsford 1936, 2nd edition 1938, 3rd edition 1950] and 'Catalogue of lantern slides of Irish antiquities' [Dublin 1928]. According to the Princess Grace Irish Library (Monaco):

Life fl.1936; proprietor of the opticians and long-established instrument maker of that name on Dame St. (now defunct); photography and naturalist; privately claimed to have sold a magic lantern to the parish priest of Knock shortly before the apparition of the Blessed Virgin there which gave rise to its standing as a place of pilgrimage in Co. Mayo.
Quotations
The Islands of Ireland (1936), I am not sure why islands possess such a fascination for many people, but the fact remains that they do. Artists, literary men and even millionaires take up their abode on isolated islands and find there a retreat from the clamour and din of modern civilisation, where their spirits can expand and where the primitive virtues and values of mankind are not swamped in a material world which has, to a large extent, lost its soul.’ (Quoted in Máirín Nic Eoin, An Litríocht Réigiúnach, Baile Átha Cliath: An Clóchomhar Tta 1982, p.141.)

Another source suggests that he formed a company of photographers with his sons. According to a review of his book, 'The islands of Ireland', 'Mr Mason in the last thirty years has visited most [of the islands]'. The review also comments:

'His book is a most delightful mixture of tradition and history, personal experiences and amusing anecdotes. ... Mr Mason makes no parade of learning, but his historical disquisitions appear in most cases to be well founded. ... The photographs in this volume are particularly interesting and no doubt in time will be of considerable historical value.'

He appears to have at least made part of his living from selling photographs of folkloric and antiquarian subjects. Ettlinger appears to have been a keen customer, she also purchased a total of 114 photographs from him of many subjects throughout Ireland.[1] If you know anything about this photographer then please let pitt@prm.ox.ac.uk know.

Here are a list of Mason's photographs of the Aran Islands with Ettlinger's descriptions:
1965.5.1 .110 Costumes Ireland Aran Islands. "A wedding group with bride and groom. The bride was home on holiday from U.S.A. and was dressed in silk with a necklet of pearls. She had saved money, and he had a house and land; so a match was arranged."
1965.5.1 .111 Costumes Ireland Aran Islands. "A group gathers to inspect the catch of lobsters. The man in the centre foreground is a pedlar from the mainland who was welcome everywhere because he carried all the latest world news."
1965.5.1 .112 Costumes Ireland Aran Islands. "Waiting for arrival of steamer." ... Note the belt, or criess [sic illegible] worn by the man with the whip
1965.5.1 .113 Costumes Ireland Aran Islands. "Two boys on Inishmore. Note skirt on younger boy. Popular theory is that young boys are dressed as girls to protect them from the fairies, who steal human boys but have no use for girls. It may, however, be a survival of the old dress of early and medieval times."
1965.5.1 .114 Costumes Ireland Aran Islands. "Woman with her grandson. Note skirt on boy and the broad celtic type of head of woman."
1965.5.1 .115 Costumes Aran Isles The man wears the pampooties, home made shoes of cowhide
1965.5.1 .116 Costumes Aran Isles "Two old age pensioners who walked several miles briskly to collect their pensions on Inishmore Note the long head of the man on right which is typical of the pre-Celtic race in western Ireland. This is the predominant type in Aran"
1965.5.1 .117 Costumes Aran Isles "An island man fishing with a line from a cliff 300 ft high in Inishmore. The sinker was a large stone and he knew when the line moved in to the close rocks that a fish was hooked. The fish caught were a large type of rock bream and he half filled the basket in less than one hour. Note he is wearing the hand knitted tam-o-shanter headgear"
1965.5.1 .118 Costumes Aran Isles "Island man on ass Aranmore. All the clothes except the cap are home woven or knitted and made locally. Note belt (criess) and pampooties (sandals) made of raw cowhide, steeped in saltwater and with hair on outside."
1965.5.1 .119 Costumes Aran Isles "On the boat going to Aran. The women and the two men in hats are Islanders. The other two men are visitors. The woman on left has the pre-Celtic so-called Iberian type of head and the woman on right has the broad celtic type of head."
1965.5.1 .120 Costumes Aran Isles "Waiting on the strand of Inishmaan for the arrival of the steamer."
1965.5.1 .121 Costumes Aran Isles Ireland "In Killeany village, Inishmore, the poorest village in Aran as few of the people here have any land and subsist by fishing. They are of mixed origin including descendants of Cromwells garrison which was forgotten and never evacuated. The names of many villagers are not Irish. The duck has a label tied to its neck for identification."
1965.5.1 .122 Costumes Aran Isles Ireland "Coming from Mass." Inishmaan
1965.5.1 .123 Costumes Aran Isles Ireland "Old man and grandson in skirt. Small boys in West of Ireland are dressed with skirts, until 10 or 12 years of age, in order to deceive the good people (ie fairies) who might steal a boy, but don't want girls."
1965.5.1 .124 Costumes Aran Isles Ireland "Mr and Mrs Roger Faherty at their fireside in Inishmaan. T.H. Mason stayed at this cottage which was scrupulously clean. Note big pot hanging over burning tuft; it is filled with potatoes for animal feeding."
1965.5.1 .125 Costumes Aran Isles "The old man is watching the unloading of a turf boat from Connemara, at the slip or quay at Inishmaan, where there is no harbour. He is wearing a factory made imported cap which has largely superseded the hand knitted Tam-o-shanters formerly worn."
1965.5.1 .303 Handicraft (Baskets), Ireland "Man making a round shallow basket called a skib. Inishere, Aran Islands. It is used for draing [sic - draining] water off the boiled potatoes. The sally rods are grown locally for making baskets."
1965.5.1 .309 Handicraft Ireland Drying wasted wool in the sun Inishmaan, Aran Isles
1965.5.1 .310 Handicraft Ireland "Note the large spinning wheel at which the spinners must stand. This is the oldest type. There are always cricked [?crickets] on the hearth but the islanders never molest them as they believe that if molested they will eat the socks which are dried after washing by hanging in the fireplace." Interior of a cottage on Inishmore, Aran Isles. Note the harvester's knot hanging on the wall.
'1965.5.1 .311 Handicraft Ireland "This is the old type of spinning wheel the use of which was prohibited about 1640 when the treadle wheel was introduced. This treadle wheel is known as the Dutch Wheel. The old type has survived in districts where wool (not flax) is used and where the King's Writ did not function." See pamphlet on spinning wheels published by Belfast Museum and Bulletin of Geographical Society of Ireland vol 1 no 5 Spinner at work, Aran Isles.
1965.5.1 .322 Handicraft Ireland Weaving the crioss (belt) Inishmaan, Aran Isles "It is woven in same manner as the "arrow" belt in Canada, which was brought to Canada by Breton emigrants. See pamphlet Assomption Sash Bulletin no 93 National Museum of Canada".
1965.5.1 .327 Handicraft Ireland, Holland Weaving loom, Inishmore Aran Isles
1965.5.1 .442 Cursing stone Bed of Holy Ghost Temple Brecan Inishmore Aran Islands "Persons afflicted with ailments find a cure by sleeping in this 3 nights at Feast of St Peter and Paul."
1965.5.1 .483 Transport Curraghs. On Inishmaan Aran Isles
1965.5.1 .484 Transport Curraghs. "The framework of the curragh before it is covered with tarred canvas"
1965.5.1 .489 Transport Hooker. "Connemara hooker carrying turf (peat) from the mainland, is discharged in the Aran Isles by throwing the peat sods on to the pier. Plenty of onlookers keep up a fire of conversational remarks"
1965.5.1 .490 Transport Steamer "There was no harbour on Inishmaan so the cattle was collected [sic] on the strand and towed out by curraghs to the steamer by ropes fastened to their heads. They are hoisted from the sea to the steamer by a winch which has a long rope and a hook which is caught in the ropes of the body of the animal"
1965.5.1 .491 Transport Steamer Inishmore Aran Isles. "On the way to the steamer for Galway where the pigs and wool will be sold"
1965.5.1 .492 Transport Steamer Aran Isles. "It was a very wet season on the mainland so that potatoes were not god but it was much drier in Aran, so that the surplus of potatoes was exported. These curraghs are laden with potatoes and waiting to be unloaded at side of steamer"
1965.5.1 .497 Transport Donkey "Potatoes for export to mainland are collected at a depot on the Aran Isles and the sacks loaded on donkeys for carrying to the strand"
1965.5.1 .500 Transport of water Aran Isles "Young girl carrying a tankard of water from the well. The tankards are made locally of wood bound with iron hoops"
1965.5.1 .504 Transport of seaweed Aran Isles "The wet seaweed is carried beyond reach of the high tide by women who wear a dried goatsking [sic] on their backs over their clothes to protect their bodies from the wet; but their lower and upper garments are saturated. Seaweed is used as a fertiliser and also for burning into kelp which has a high iodine content"
1965.5.1 .505 Transport of seaweed Aran Isles "Seaweed when dried is carried by donkeys to a stone edged enclosure and there burned to make the hard clinker called kelp which is sold to Scotch agents for its iodine content.

Further Reading:
G.R.C. [identity unconfirmed] Review of 'The Islands of Ireland' T.H. Mason The Geographical Journal, Vol. 89, No. 6 (Jun., 1937), pp. 558-559.

Notes
[1] To find all the Thomas H. Mason images in the PRM photographic collections go to here and search for his name in the Photographer field.

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