I have looked at your website with interest but wondered if you could tell me whether there was ever a blacksmith’s forge at Tanworth in Arden, Knowle, or Hampton in Arden? Alternatively would you know where William Allday, blacksmith and bellows maker who I believe was born in circa 1767 and died in 1834 (and was married to Elizabeth Ford) was based?
I believe he was the founder of William Alldays and sons who a century later would become Alldays and Onions, a major Birmingham manufacturer and reputedly the oldest engineering company in the world. I am trying to find out where it all started – which I understand was William, a simple blacksmith who made tools then bellows. I don’t know where he was born and I don’t know where his blacksmith’s workshop was. When he died he was living in Edmund Street Birmingham and is buried in St Mary’s church Birmingham.
Comments
I think there was a Blacksmith in Tanworth-in-Arden on Broad Lane at a cottage now called Forge Cottage. I don’t know about Hampton-in-Arden, but there was one in Hockley Heath on Spring Lane, on the left-hand side just before the Church going towards Earlswood. The one in Knowle was on the Warwick Road where they sharpened and serviced lawnmowers and other garden equipment but I can’t remember the name. It is still there on the left-hand side virtually opposite Milverton Road and is made of green corrugated iron and wood. Another blacksmith worked as a mobile on his motorbike and sidecar and he was called Ken something. He lived on Widney Road in a semi-detached cottage more or less opposite Mill Lane. set right back from the road.
Hope any of this helps.
Hello Sue. Thank you so much for help. That has given me a couple of leads to pursue. Most appreciated!
The one in Hockley Heath was run by Bob Birchenough (?sp) he lived in Cranmore Boulevard and his house was distinguished by front metal railings he had made which were adjoining penny farthing bicycles. I have photos of him working is you would like copies. Previously it was run by a Mr Silver.
I run Earlswood Lakes Heritage on FB. I asked and received this reply:
Docker on Broad Lane Wood End. from neal phillips and sam Griffin-Ward – My Uncle Gerald Docker. Bespoke work in almost anything you could want.
In the 1950s we used to take our ponies to be shod in Hockley Heath, at an old-fashioned forge on the Old Warwick Road, not far from the junction with the Stratford Road. The farriers were the Barlows: “old Sid” and “young Sid”. I think one or both of them lived at the Cock Horse Inn at Rowington.
The mobile blacksmith in Knowle at the time, on the Warwick Road almost opposite Milverton Road, was called Marshall (don’t know his first name). He used to go round on a motorbike with some kind of heating apparatus so he could adjust the ready-made shoes to fit the horse.
I lived in Packwood, near Hockley Heath, and there was an old forge (no longer functioning by the 1950s). The people living there were called Hobbs, so I guess an earlier Hobbs was the blacksmith in days gone by.
What a fascinating web-site!
I found the comments on the blacksmith very interesting as I had come across the following 1881 Census return, on Ancestry.co.uk., whilst tracing a Samuel Wilson born in1860.
It seems that he was a servant to John and Elizabeth Cogbile. John Cogbile was a blacksmith. The address of the property was 78 Village, Knowle which I cannot identify. Was the smithy at that address or in a different location or was he a journeyman? Does having a servant imply that business was good?
I find it intriguing as we lived in Knowle for several years and I thought I knew the area!
My Great Grandfather was appenticed to a blacksmith, a Clement Chambers in the village of Hockley Heath. I have checked the Census Records and he is down as a blackmith in Hockley Heath for a number of years. I have a photo which I believe was taken outside the smithy. I would very much like to find out more about this.
Hello,
There is a former blacksmith’s cottage/ forge for holiday hire in Hampton in Arden if you look on TripAdvisor. I don’t know the history of it.
Add a comment about this page