7 minute film extract : The Willow Story
Full Film : The Willow Story : 36 minutes
Left : Earle Male WW1. Enlisting at aged 17 years old he was found out and sent home. He went back the following year.
Right : Earl & Audrey Jeanes on their wedding day in 1926.
L to R rear : Bernard Jeanes, Earle Male, Lillian Male nee Jeanes, Jack Jeanes.
L to R front : Kathleen Jeanes, Leslie Male, Audrey Jeanes
Photo taken at Coronation Villa, Deadlands.
“This photograph was taken in about 1934, at the rear of what was then the family home of No. 6 Council Houses, Stembridge. The photograph shows my father’s Earle Male’s workshop where he set up his withy business. The tin shed at the rear on the right was where things took place as well as in the yard where the people are standing. There is a withy stripping brake on the right of the photo, set up on a post. It was quite usual for families to run their work from home. Shaun Stuckey – who was a waggon builder and wheelwright lived in No 4Council houses and he also worked out of sheds to the rear.
In this photograph – left to right are:
Ray Barrett who lived in No. 3 Council Houses – he is dressed up to go courting and he was courting Rene Dabinett.
Next to Ray is Joe Mitchell who lived in No 13 Council Houses and in front of him is his son Pete Mitchell.
Next is Harold Dabinett who was brother to Rene Dabinett and in front of him is Elsie Mitchell who married Bill Pounder.
On the right in dungarees is my father – Earle Male. “
Notes from Leslie Male March 2017
Leslie Male
In the late 1930’s the family moved their buisness to just down the road to the site called Brookside just on the corner on the road up to the School.
Left : Leslie & Hugh Male cutting by hand on Westmoor. Right : Leslie Male
Leslie & Hugh Male on Westmoor
From the early days of the business the family sought markets with basket-makers in southern England. The family delivery van above is in Brighton. Other regular customers included the Royal National Institute for the blind at Camberwell in north London. Above right Stephen Male, Leslies’ son who took the lead on the family’s Basket & Craft Centre at Brookside, supplying and selling to the public.
The business ceased in 2004.