Set of blacksmith's bellows from St Marks smithy
Date made: 19th century
Maker: unknown
Description: This is the set of bellows from St Marks smithy, used by the blacksmith Frank Oates around the beginning of the 20th century.
The leather bellows would have been able to pump large quantities of air into the forge, the forced oxygen allowing hot coals to reach temperatures hot enough to melt iron. The metal when it changed from an orange to a whitish colour would then be maleable enough to be worked into horseshoes, impliments and other items.
Blacksmiths were the all purpose craftsmen of the rural world, able to fix almost anything (including early cars and motorcycles). Like many smithies, St Marks was on a crossroads, well placed to serve horse drawn traffic from four directions. Smithies also carried supernatural associations. The vikings and other early cultures associated those who could work metal with magic, and many smithies are set away from main settlement sites for this reason.
Measurements: overall: 105 cm x x x 67 cm
Materials: iron, leather, wood
Object name: bellows
Collection: Social History Collection
ID Number: 2003-0166