Men Hard at Work - Sepia Saturday

This week's  Sepia Saturday  photogrpah features a man beside his tent washing  his dishes in a bucket  of water.  

 I never fancied camping, not even as a Girl Guide  - the weather in Britain is just  too unpredictable - so no tent  pictures in my collection.  But instead,  tqke a look here at more men hard at work.

 

 My husband muck spreading - a farmer friend brought us trailer  load of manure for our garden c.1978.  The effort of clearing it put my husband off gardening, I think, for evermore, as the garden is now very much my province - without any muck involved!   I have no idea what the branches at the side were there for.  

  

Another  reluctant gardener - my father always made sure the garden was looking good in terms of being neat and tidy and the grass cut, but he had next to no interest in it beyond that.  Until he retired, when I gave him some garden vouchers and a book on vegetable growing.   He took it on board with enthusiasm, and  found it satisfying to  grow our own fruit and vegetable that we could eat.  Here, c.1980  I think he is planting fruit bushes.   We always knew Dad would find retirement a challenge, as he had few  interests outside work, so discovering  this new hobby was a great " -Dig  for Victory" !

 

Tommy Roger, a coracle maker, born c. 1845, Ironbridge, Shropshire.  

 

My father grew up in Broseley on the other side of the River Seven  from historic  Ironbridge,  (home of England's Industrial REeoution) and this photograph was found in the collection of my uncle  Fred.

You might be wondering, what work Thomas Rodger was doing.  Well, it was on his back, for Thomas Roger was a  coracle maker,  a loosely woven frame traditionally covered in animal hide, but in more recent times calico, canvas and coated with a substance such as bitumen.    When the Iron Bridge was opened in 1779 locals objected to paying the tolls, so they used their coracles to cross the river instead. 

 

The River Severn at  Ironbridge, Shropshire

Tommy Roger  was well known as a poacher and the local newspaper reported  his appearance in court on poaching charges.   He also  helped to build the new police  cells and court room in Ironbridge in 1862 - only to be one of the first people to use them! 

 

Steeplejacks climbing the mill chimney at Simpson and Fairbairn Textile Mill in Earlston, Scottish Borders - early 1900s.

 

David Hogg, c.1941, was the last hand loom weaver in Earlston. He began work in the mill as a pattern weaver,  then started hand loom weaving on his own account,  selling his tweeds, scarves and rugs all over Great Britain and exhibiting at many trade fairs. When he died in 1941,  his loom and other artefacts were given to the Scottish College of Textile  in nearby Galashiels.

With acknowledgement to the Auld Earlston Group for these two images from its collection. 

 

 

Arthur Smith, my cousin's father emerging from a manhole during his work as a linesman for the General Post Office.   

 

 

 

Arthur Smith, again, this time   tinkering with his car  

Bigger machines to mess about with here.    

 

 action-man brother, who in the 1980's part-owned and piloted  a light aircraft.

           

Experiencing something much much bigger.

 

 

Taking a break from his work on an oil rig off India  - brother in a fetching beanie hat. 

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 Sepia Saturday gives bloggers an opportunity to share 
their family history and memories through photographs  

  

 Click HERE to see other bloggers at work on this prompt photo.  

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