LAST week’s Craven Curiosity was the first from The Folly at Settle, the Museum of North Craven Life. The museum, housed in the splendid listed building just off the Market Place, has stepped in with some interesting items from its collection while the Craven Museum takes a break over the summer weeks.

The first item to be shared with us from The Folly could not have been a better choice, being as we are in the middle of Wimbledon Fortnight. Regular contributor, Cath Cooney was in the right area, suggesting it was a golf ball cleaner, it was indeed an instrument for cleaning balls, but tennis balls, and originated from Ingleborough Hall, now an outdoor education centre.

Those at The Folly say: “This wooden object was used for cleaning tennis balls which had become discoloured from use on grass courts. Each half is lined with a set of bristles which fit snugly round the ball. The balls would first of all be moistened in soapy water and scrubbed by rotating the cleaner round the ball. This also had the effect of restoring the nap and therefore the bounce of the ball. Our particular cleaner originated from Ingleborough Hall in Clapham and it’s easy to imagine lovely white balls in pristine condition gracing the leisurely tennis parties of the 1920s and 30s.”

The Folly Museum is open daily from 1pm to 4pm, more details about what goes on there are available on the website:thefolly.org.uk. Suggestions for this week’s curiosity, should be sent by 8am on Monday to lesley.tate@cravenherald.co.uk