FORGES OF ENGLAND

Dominion, Volume 26, Issue 124, 18 February 1933, Page 12

FORGES OF ENGLAND

Smithcraft Still Taught SURVIVOR OF OLDEN DAYS \ (Reuter —Letter to “The Dominion.”) Cheering evidence that at least one of the ancient rural industries of England still holds sway in a mechanical world conics with the announcement that a Devon blacksmith has vacancies for two premium pupils to learn smithcraft. Nearly 2000 farriers still carry on their calling in London alone. It is important to remember the distinction between a farrier and a blacksmith. Farriers make and nail the shoes on horses, but blacksmiths, in the deyday of their trade, made suits of armour, wroughtiron turnspits, log-tongs and other beau-tifully-executed articles, which demand a high degree of artistic and manu il craftsmanship. Their motto was “by hammer and hand all arts do stand,” but mass production in some of the big centres such as Birmingham has killed much of the old trade of the blacksmith, though he still has many fine wrought-iron gates and other things as monuments to his skill. Sir Frederick Edward Robert Becker, former Prime Warden of the Blacksmiths’ Company, says that there is a quaint tradition which has been banded down through several centuries to the present day. The Lord of the Manor at Oakham (Rutland) has the right to demand a horseshoe from every peer of the realm who passes through the town. Among these “tolls” received is a gigantic golden horseshoe presented by Queen Elizabeth. Modern peers sometimes have horse shoes specially wrought iu silver or gold in order to keep this picturesque custom alike. One peer in a car offered his spare wheel instead, but this was not accepted, aud lie sent on a horsehoe.