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The Nursery Rhyme,
Needles and pins, is
a poem about common
household items. We
take such necessary
articles for granted
but they have some
interesting history
attached to them.
The origins of the
Rhyme are based on
the custom of
husbands providing
money to purchase
pins (they were
expensive at one
time!) "Needles and
pins, Needles and
pins. When a Man
marries his Trouble
begins."
Needles and Pins?
Today we view these
as completely
separate items but
in days gone by they
were both used to
fasten clothing.
Needles
Sewing needles have
been used since the
Stone Age when they
were made with bone,
shells or thorns. As
the years rolled by
they were made from
various metals
including iron,
bronze, gold and
silver. During the
Middle Ages Needle
making was quite an
industry. Usually
made from lengths of
bronze wire - they
eye of the needle
was flattened on an
anvil then a hole
(eye) was driven
through then finally
the point of a
needle was filed
down. In London
needle-makers formed
themselves into a
Guild and worked
near to the tailors
who were based in
Threeneedle (now
Threadneedle)
Street!
Pins and 'Pin
Money'
Pins followed a
similar evolutionary
path. There was a
Guild of Pinmakers,
or Pinners. Pins
were relatively
expensive during the
Middle Ages and
husbands gave their
wives money
especially for their
purchase, as time
went by pins became
cheaper and the
money could be spent
on other items -
hence the term "pin
money".
The Dissolution
of the Monastries
(1536 and 1540) and
Needles & Pins?
English Monasteries
were famous for
needle-making. This
proved to cause a
problem in England
when King Henry
closed all of the
Monasteries - he
passed an Act in
1543 encouraging the
manufacture of good
needles and pins!
See a Pin Nursery
Rhyme
Help us to maintain
our history and
heritage through the
words and lyrics of
old Nursery Rhymes
like 'Needles and
pins' |
