While visiting the Rochester Guildhall to see the Benjamin Seaton Tool Chest, I had to pass through some other exhibits (the tool chest is way at the back). The Rochester area was known for its prison “hulks” in the late 18th and early 19th centuries.
The hulks were decommissioned ships – some damaged – that were moored and used as overflow to house prisoners, especially prisoners of war. The hulks in Rochester housed many American and French prisoners of war.
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During their time on the hulks, the prisoners would spend their time in a variety of ways, from carving bone to making straw work marquetry.
This surprisingly intricate craft involved making a pine box or cabinet then veneering it with pieces of straw, some of which had been colored.
The Rochester Guildhall had several examples on display, and they were a beautiful almost folk type of marquetry. Check out the photos.
— Christopher Schwarz
Source: lostartpress.com