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| Blacksmith and Wheelwright |
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| The blacksmith and wheelwright trade has been practiced for centuries in Pocklington. The trade died out following the closure of Pocklingtons last blacksmith in Deans Lane. Percy Scales is seen here in his Smithy in Stubbs Butchers Yard, Deans Lane before it closed in the 1960's. Local people have memories that Bernard Drake used to work for Stubbs the butchers in Deans Lane.. |
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| Joe Scales happily shoeing a horse belonging to Dawn Stubbs the daughter of his employer, butcher John Stubbs, at the smithy in Dean’s Lane. (Taken after the war). |
This photograph appeared in a local newspaper and the caption read:
Although a decaying industry, blacksmiths will always be required while there are horses on the road. Here we find Mr. Percy Scales, who has been a blacksmith for 45 years, putting the finishing touches to the shoes of Capper, the riding pony of Miss Dawn Stubbs, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. R.M. Stubbs. Percy has worked in this shop for 20 years, coming from Newbald, where he spent 16 years.
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| Janet Harrison, Granddaughter of Percy Scales, contacted me to say that his name was not Percy but ‘Pearson’. He also seemed to be known as ‘Joe’ for some reason which she always found strange. |
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Pearson Scales is thought to be shoeing the horse, can anyone identify the gentleman on the anvil? The caption says it is one of the last operating Blacksmith's in the East Riding. He says the smithy was kept busy making parts for caterpillar tracks for Tanks, during the war.
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This is the wheelwright John Robson (far right) in Union Street. He appears* on the Pocklington Fire Brigade photograph of 1897. |
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* Please note in the publication "The People and Places of Old Pocklington" he is wrongly named on the Fire Brigade photograph as Thomas Robson. |
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Advertisement in the 'Pocklington Weekly News' for Jan 1895 |
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