Spinning wheel

Spinning wheel

This spinning wheel is from the Hämeenlinna women’s prison, whose official name was the Hämeenlinna penitentiary and workhouse for women. It was probably manufactured in the 1840s or 1850s according to a Swedish model. The spinning wheel has a fat cup in which the spinners could moisten their hands smeared with animal fat. In 1895, the spinning wheel was moved to the collection of the prison museum established by the association of prison officers.

Every day, huge amounts of yarn were spun in prisons. Spinning was the most common task of female prisoners from the late 18th century to the early 20th century. Yarn was made from wool, cotton and flax for weaving fabrics in the prison.