Photo sparks tales of the blacksmiths' banter
Our recent picture showing blacksmith Albert Davies at work shoeing a horse has prompted more memories of the traditional trade – and the smiths' trademark entertaining banter.
And Gordon Tonkinson, from Weston Heath, near Sheriffhales, was able to explain why Albert gave up being a smith and went instead into factory work.
"Albert was kicked in the head very badly by a horse in the 1950s and had to give it up. He was really poorly," Gordon, who is now in his 80s, tells us.
He also says Albert became a prominent Scout leader in the Newport area.
Our photo shows Albert shoeing in front of judge Charles Perkin at an agricultural show in Shrewsbury, but there is a difference of opinion from readers over whether it was taken at the Royal Show in 1949 – that is what Albert's widow Iris, from Newport, believes – or at the West Mid Show in Shrewsbury.
The "Royal" was held in Sundorne and attended by the then Princess Elizabeth and her husband the Duke of Edinburgh, while the West Mid was of course held at the West Mid showground.
Gordon is in no doubt: "It was taken at the West Mid showground in the farriers' section."
With glasses, far left, is Bert Hughes, the blacksmith at Great Chatwell. Albert was his nephew and worked for him at the smithy in the village.
Gordon recalls: "As lads we used to go to the blacksmiths at Great Chatwell just to hold a horse when they were shoeing, but we really went to listen to the banter, which was terrific between Bert Hughes and Charlie Eardley, who had the blacksmith's shop in Sheriffhales.
"If one had too much work and another not enough they would help each other out.
"We were up at Sheriffhales one night having come from school and there was a chap there who had served in the First World War, Bill Donegany, who had his horse down there to be shoed and a piece of hot iron flew across 12ft and went down Bill's wellington boot.
"He was in his 60s, if not 70s, and ran outside and put his leg in a water tank. He came back in and said: 'Bloody hell, I would have won the 100 metres in the Olympic Games with that.' He had a bad burn on his ankle.
"It was lovely to see the picture. There used to be blacksmiths everywhere.
"Sadly this kind of life has changed and modernised. There are farriers about now, who are mobile and use a van."
