Ian- Sorry, I remember thinking of this at the time i read your first posting: I recall reading many years ago in a nineteenth century collection of folk beliefs, (from Yorkshire, I think) that a gift of clothing would insult the fairies and they would leave. Perhaps the small size was intended to indicate that they were for the Little People, therefore a charm to keep the fairies away? Or perhaps it's just that children's shoes, quickly outgrown, are more expendable. The other probably significant feature of this practice to me is that it's usually just one shoe. Again, is there a symbolic reason for this, or just that we have the surviving member of a pair of worn out shoes? Marty Pickands New York State Museum >>> [log in to unmask] 08/31/06 4:38 AM >>> Ian Evans wrote: > With regard to concealments that are part of a > European tradition there appears to be a trend apparent in both the UK and > Australia. In both places the shoes of children and teenagers constitute > about 40% of the total number of finds. > Even allowing for the fact that families were larger in the 19th century > than today this seems to be a higher proportion than would be expected if > the objects to be concealed had been selected at random. The figures > suggest a preference for concealing the shoes of children aged from about > three upwards. > I'm curious to know why this might be and would be interested to hear > other peoples' thoughts on this curious aspect of a very curious custom. I posted this last Sunday and so far it appears to have slipped by without comment. I'd appreciate the opinions of HistArchers on this issue so thought I'd try again. Ian Evans Byron Bay, NSW Australia www.oldhouses.com.au