Whitesmiths Shop

This topic has 7 replies, 7 voices, and was last updated 30 September 2019 at 15:05 by Bill Davies 2.

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29 September 2019 at 21:52 #431106
Adam Mara
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@adammara
My grandfather purchased an existing Ironmongers shop in 1900. I have the stocklist from February 1900 lisiting all the rooms and their contents, and every room from cellars to attics were packed with goods! These including the blacksmiths shop, the tinsmiths shop and a whitesmiths shop, something I had never heard off. It appears it was a like a tinsmiths shop but doing finer work.

The company moved in 1905, but there was still a tinsmiths shop in the late 40s, I remember there being a forge, and patterns for pans hanging on the walls, and I have memories of hectic times at Christmas of the tinsmith making roasting tins. When the tinsmith retired the equipment fell into disuse, and was eventually sold off, apart from the guillotine, which is still used daily in the current business now run by his great grandsons.
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29 September 2019 at 21:52 #35630
Adam Mara
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@adammara
Ever heard of one?
29 September 2019 at 21:56 #431107
vintage engineer
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@vintageengineer
Yes as a retired blacksmith I once had a long discussion with a black gentleman as why I wasn't a whitesmith! Whitesmiths work with"white" metals, eg, tin, zinc, pewter. and lead.
30 September 2019 at 06:50 #431128
Speedy Builder5
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@speedybuilder5
When I was apprenticed at Vickers Armstrongs Aircraft Weybridge 1963 onwards, The tinsmiths worked sheet material like Al alloy and stainless steel, and the Coppersmiths worked tubes. The Blacksmiths worked heavy iron not destined for aircraft eg tooling etc.
30 September 2019 at 10:32 #431153
Neil Wyatt
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@neilwyatt
My maternal grandfather was a coppersmith in the RAF.

Not just tubes – he did lost wax casting and other things involving copper alloys (brasses and bronzes) as far as I can understand

Neil

Edited By Neil Wyatt on 30/09/2019 10:33:54
30 September 2019 at 10:56 #431156
ega
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@ega
Posted by vintage engineer on 29/09/2019 21:56:17:

Yes as a retired blacksmith I once had a long discussion with a black gentleman as why I wasn't a whitesmith! Whitesmiths work with"white" metals, eg, tin, zinc, pewter. and lead.

Was he from Rhodesia, by chance?
30 September 2019 at 14:57 #431189
larry phelan 1
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@larryphelan1
Ega, I like that one ! I really do !
30 September 2019 at 15:05 #431195
Bill Davies 2
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@billdavies2
'Whitesmith' also referred (confusingly) to craftsmen who finishes (e.g. polished) ferrous metals.

It's a bit like the confusion caused by the recent naming of silver solder, which seems to be the term for lead free soft solders (containing silver, not just the tin and copper variety), as against our familiar hard silver solder.
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