Blacksmiths , Blisworth, Northamptonshire, UK.

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03-01  Mr. Radford, partner in the blacksmith's at No.3 High Street with Mr. Piff - c. 1870 - 1900.  No. 3 is now "Stoneacres" and the present garage is approximately where the blacksmith's shed was located.

 

03-02  Mr. Piff, agricultural engineer.

 
03-03 This is thought to be a 1891 photograph.  Left to right:  Piff (whose brother-in-law Wilks worked at the wagon repair yard at Blisworth station), Radford, Norman (who worked as blacksmith for the Westleys at the mill) and Wilks (junior - nephew to Piff).

The thatched shed of the previous two pictures is thought to be in the background of this picture.  The shed(s) were demolished c.1937.
03-04 Richard Goodridge, husband to Emily Goodridge.  Blacksmith at No. 3 following the Radford Piff partnership c. 1910.  Richard's brother Alfred (03-05) was a second village blacksmith at the same time, operating at what is now called the "Old Smithy" on The Cross.
03-05   Harry Alfred Goodridge   The Blacksmith by The Cross (Cross cottages in the background - see the map below).  It has been said, probably with some exaggeration, that the two brothers carried on their businesses a mere 200 yards apart without so much as a word as the years passed by.  This blacksmith shop was taken over by Mr Gascoigne who ran it in up to WWII roughly.  The brickbuilt forge house had a beam marked MD 1820 being built by Meashak Dunkley, probably a relative of the Richard Dunkley who built the Arch.

The whole group of cottage was demolished by the brewers who bought the site (ie. effectively The Cross) in 1958.

1838 map of the "Cross" area in the centre of Blisworth.