The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1903-10-20
WHERE JET COMES FROM.
How the stone Is Mined and Polished
I'm Whitby, England.
New York Post,

New York Post.
Our Observation-Disclosures were as
American duchesses are to-day of their
husbands family diamonds. Fifteen hun
bred years ago Whitby jet was fashioned
into cruciflxes, rosaries. crosses, and other
ecclesiastical devices for the monks and
nuns under the charge OF the Abbess Hilda
at the Monastery of Streonshalh, now
known as the ruins of Whitby Abbey. The
Lady Hilda was the eldest daughter of
Oswy, King of Northumbria, as the north
ern part of the middle counties of England
was then called. Her father, in gratitude
on the battlefield of Winwidfield. founded
the monastery in A. d. 65S, and placed
Hilda. then forty-five years OF age, In
charge. She was a very devout woman.
and the monks and nuns under her were
supplied with beads and crosses made from
a local substance known as jet. AS the
years rolled by. jet became popular on ac-
count of it's beauty. rarity, and suscepti-
bility to very high polish. 1t was worked
by clever artisans over grindstone and
lathe, and then turned over to expert cary
ers, who fashioned ii into the most elab-
crate brooches, necklaces, earrings, pend
ants. bracelets, pins, etc. Sometimes 1T was
set i'm gold and sometimes surrounded by
diamonds and other precious stones, SO
that a brooch would retail for hundreds of
pounds sterling. Paper knives, watch
charms. and an infinite variety of articles
followed. and at length it became popular
to wear jet for mourning. At the first
glance, jet looks like polished black glass.
but the merest novice can detect its pc
culiar beauties upon closer examination.
1t so happens that jet has never been
found anywhere in England except In the
precipitous cliffs overlooking the sea, on
which the quaint old seaport of Whitby
stands. The chief industry of Whitby for
hundreds of years was the manufacture OF
Jet, and then some seven hundred years
ago part of the inhabitants took to fishing
and whaling, and the picturesque old sea-
port has ever been the home of a prosper
Gus community.
The late Queen Victoria was great ad-
nlirer of jet, and during her reign Whitby
fiourished from the industry as never be-
fore Muff chains. lockets, penholders,
cigarette holders. bookmarks, shirtstuds.
cuff links, hatpins. spangles and bangles,
flowers and medallions were produced lii
great quantities and were shipped all over
Europe and especially over the British En-
pire. When any person or Importance died
in any part of Europe the Whitoy mer-
chants would Immediately send box of jet
mourning by express TO the bereaved fam
ily Such jewelry as was kept was paid for
by check, and the rest of the stock re-
turned.
of late vars a cheap substitute has been
discovered i'm Spain and much of this is now
used by the Whitby manufacturers, who
find the real article scarce and very dear.
From skeletons found in the tumul of the
district II is known that hundreds of years
ago Il was customary TO bury the dead with
jet ornaments.
In his mirror of Stones" Camillus Lee
onardus calls jet black amber and states
that il possesses the peculiar property of
attracting to IL. when rubbed light sub
stances of all kinds. He also tells us that
the thin smoke produced by this friction
of rubbing was used by the ancient Britains
for driving away devils and dissolving
spells.
Jet" says Dr. Young, appears to be
wood in a high state OF bituminization.'
And certainly jet often appears with traces
of ligneous structure. at the same time
there are specimens of bones which seem
ingly have been gradually impregnated