Hungerford Virtual Museum

Website produced and maintained for the Hungerford Historical Association
by Hugh Pihlens

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You are in [Places] [Blacksmiths and Farriers]

The blacksmith's forges were very important to the community of Hungerford. The blacksmith manufactured essential items such as nails and tools, as well as repairing farm implements.

The ancient craft of farriery (shoeing horses) has been practised since Romans times - normally by blacksmiths. In 1890 a scheme for the examination and registration of "shoeing smiths" was brought into operation. Those who passed were placed on the Register, and were allowed to put "RSS" (Registered Shoeing Smith) after their name. Since The Farriers (Registration Act 1975, however, only registered farriers are permitted to shoe horses.

The blacksmiths include:

- Zachary Turton, 1683. In the will of John Dicks 1683 Zachary Turton is described as blacksmith. (see 87-88 High Street)

- Henry Burton the younger of Charnham Street, blacksmith, aged 32 or thereabouts (Law suits, Court of Chancery), 1724
- Henry Burton senior, husband of Millicent, blacksmith, of Charnham Street (Law suits, Court of Chancery), 1724.

- Edward Woodham: in 1737/8 Edward Wodham blacksmith insured his premises on W. side High St. "dwelling house, brewhouse, and woodhouse adjoining on west side of High Street. Stone, timber, slated, tiled, £150 dwelling house, £50 brewhouse: total £200".

- Moses Birch (1756 Constables Accounts include "Reced of Moses Birch blacksmith for his Incum 5s 0d).


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		Eddington blacksmiths, c1912 On the left is shown a group of men outside the wheelwright and blacksmiths, including Norman Higgins (blacksmith), Jim Middleton (carpenter) and Bill Wiggins (blacksmith).

- Benjamin Salisbury, 32 High Street, 1795. Benjamin Salisbury was Constable of the town for the three years from 1801-1803, during the celebrated case in Chancery concerning the town's rights in Freeman's Marsh brought by farmer Webb against the town (Webb v. Salisbury). He was said by defence counsel to have been a blacksmith and counsel continued that "the whole Corporation consists of little tradesmen who neither know, nor have the time to watch for, the gradual encroachments of their neighbours" (such as they claimed the Hopgrass farmer had made on Freeman's Marsh). His three years of Constableship cannot have been altogether happy or without strain.

- Samuel Burton - 1796 Berkshire Directory.

- Buckeridge family (Thomas, and later Joseph, then William as a vet and shoeing forge)
at 108 High Street, c1830-1895

- Jonathan Bird - at 114 High Street, c1832-c1840 (later Thomas Oakes, then
Edward Wiggins)

- Thomas Oakes - at 114 High Street, c1841

- Edward Wiggins - at 114 High Street, c1843
- Edwin Wiggins - at 114 High Street, c1847-c1871.

- Joseph Martin, in Robbins Yard, 11 Bridge Street.
- Charles Tanner, upper High Street

- Sarah Oakes - Cow Lane - blacksmith and farrier.

- Joseph Martin - blacksmith, 115 High Street, 1861.

- William Davis - in the 1854 and 1864 Billings Directory he is clearly at the
"Three Horseshoes". Of interest, in the latter he is "Beer retailer & Blacksmith".

- Fred Bates in Hungerford Newtown (1891 Kelly Directory)

- William Davis in Hungerford Newtown (1891 Kelly Directory)

- John Froude in Eddington (1891 Kelly Directory)

- Charles Oakes in 114 High Street (1891 Kelly Directory) - with Albert George Oakes
later became Oakes Bros Ltd.

- Vic Caswell & Giles, blacksmiths, Forge Cottage, 24 Bridge Street, c1920 - c1939.

Updated: 8.2.2011