Joseph
Thake and his son, who were natives of Watford in Hertfordshire.
Determined not to beg, they earned a keep for themselves
by making these puzzle rattles (which the boy learned
to do when working as a shepherd in Cambridgeshire). The
rattles were made from pieces of willow, and contain small
stones. They could be used to amuse children, or adults,
who took them apart and then spent hours trying to put
them back together again. Thake and his son sold their
rattles in St Paul’s churchyard and were highly
regarded by Londoners for their industriousness.
