The Wheelwright's Shop, by George Sturt
The Wheelwright's Shop is an account of an English wheelwright's shop, i.e., a wagon-building establishment, from the late 19th century to it's end in the early 20th century.
Contents:
1. Origins; 2. Timber; 3. General work; 4. Wheels; 5. Tyring; 6. Smithing and sundries; 7. The old order changing; Notes; Glossary; Index.
George Sturt, as a young man, wanted to pursue a career in writing; however, the death of his father following a chill contracted on a wood buying expedition interrupted his plans as he had to take over management of his father's business. In 1923, this work was first published when he was able to finally return to writing after being bought out by his partner when his health was declining and the horse-drawn vehicle was being overtaken by the automobile. Many of the old shops simply converted to auto service shops.
Woodworkers will find this account fascinating. When Sturt took over around 1884, the shop was still using the same tools and techniques that essentially had not changed since Roman times; the shop had first started in businessin 1706! The tools and techniques are well explained, from buying standing wood, to seasoning and cutting, right through to the making of wheels and wagons.
The book does not merely describe the work; it relates much about the lives of the employees, and the changing times and their effects on the working man. With regards to labor, I've read that some later editions were abridged to remove his remarks on the social changes, but the edition I borrowed from the library was an old one and un-abridged.
The wagons his shop built were primarily the farm wagon of the partcular style common to his part of England; this was basically a classic dead-axle and reach-pole gear with a removable body to allow for versatility in hauling various loads, a load of logs for example. There were some slight differences in wagons in different parts of England; the distance betwen the wheels, for example, could vary between regions such that the wagon from one region would not necessarily be drivable in another as it would not match the ruts in the unpaved roads!
This work is a wonderful account of the hand-craftsmanship of a bygone age.
Here are links to the current publisher, and to Amazon, for this title:
http://www.cambridge.org/us/catalogue/catalogue.asp?isbn=0521091950
http://www.amazon.com/reader/0521091950?_encoding=UTF8&ref_=sib_dp_pt#reader-link
There is also an Amazon page with other Sturt books:
http://www.amazon.com/George-Sturt/e/B001KMEIAA/ref=ntt_dp_epwbk_0
Regards, Johnpipe
The Wheelwright's Shop is an account of an English wheelwright's shop, i.e., a wagon-building establishment, from the late 19th century to it's end in the early 20th century.
Contents:
1. Origins; 2. Timber; 3. General work; 4. Wheels; 5. Tyring; 6. Smithing and sundries; 7. The old order changing; Notes; Glossary; Index.
George Sturt, as a young man, wanted to pursue a career in writing; however, the death of his father following a chill contracted on a wood buying expedition interrupted his plans as he had to take over management of his father's business. In 1923, this work was first published when he was able to finally return to writing after being bought out by his partner when his health was declining and the horse-drawn vehicle was being overtaken by the automobile. Many of the old shops simply converted to auto service shops.
Woodworkers will find this account fascinating. When Sturt took over around 1884, the shop was still using the same tools and techniques that essentially had not changed since Roman times; the shop had first started in businessin 1706! The tools and techniques are well explained, from buying standing wood, to seasoning and cutting, right through to the making of wheels and wagons.
The book does not merely describe the work; it relates much about the lives of the employees, and the changing times and their effects on the working man. With regards to labor, I've read that some later editions were abridged to remove his remarks on the social changes, but the edition I borrowed from the library was an old one and un-abridged.
The wagons his shop built were primarily the farm wagon of the partcular style common to his part of England; this was basically a classic dead-axle and reach-pole gear with a removable body to allow for versatility in hauling various loads, a load of logs for example. There were some slight differences in wagons in different parts of England; the distance betwen the wheels, for example, could vary between regions such that the wagon from one region would not necessarily be drivable in another as it would not match the ruts in the unpaved roads!
This work is a wonderful account of the hand-craftsmanship of a bygone age.
Here are links to the current publisher, and to Amazon, for this title:
http://www.cambridge.org/us/catalogue/catalogue.asp?isbn=0521091950
http://www.amazon.com/reader/0521091950?_encoding=UTF8&ref_=sib_dp_pt#reader-link
There is also an Amazon page with other Sturt books:
http://www.amazon.com/George-Sturt/e/B001KMEIAA/ref=ntt_dp_epwbk_0
Regards, Johnpipe
