Made by prisoners of war, usually French, held in English camps during the Napoleonic Wars, these items seldom survive the centuries since their creation in the late 18th and early 19th century. Most soldiers were conscripts, and had other trades in their lives back home. Prisoners with suitable talents carved highly delicate ship models and artifacts including spinning jennies such as this one, from the bones left over from the prison kitchens along with whatever straw or wood they could find. The prisoners could sell their creations to British officers and the local public, giving them a bit of income and something to while away the time.
