Chainmaker

[magicbeatle]

Just found out that one of my ancestors living in the victorian east end, was a chainmaker. His daughters at the same time were artificial flower makers. What was a chainmaker, and does it still exist? Is there a connection between the two professions? as he is put down as the employer of the family run at home business. Except for one of the girls who is put down as working outdoors, presumably to sell the flowers she has made. Thanks.

[dzug]

A chain maker makes chains - anything from an anchor chain for a ship down to a chain for a bicycle lock. If he was working at home it would be the smaller end of the market- maybe tow chains for carts. A specialised blacksmith really.

I can't see an obvious connection with artificial flowers but someone else may know of one.

[magicbeatle]

Actually, I have found out more. The father was the head of the house and was put down as the employer. He was a Chainmaker and had a son who was also a Chainmaker. He had three daughters also living there. One was an Artificial Flower Maker (my Great Nan) and the other two were Fancy Cardboard Box makers. My mum remembers my nan telling her when she was young about all these fancy cardboard boxes around the house. All of them was put down as working from home, except my Great nan the flower maker who was put down as working out. Possibly selling them. Most of this information I got from the 1901 census.

[sddsddean]

And heres a picture of the chainmaker at the Black Country Museum http://www.bclm.co.uk/demonstrations.htm

[mata hari]

http://privatewww.essex.ac.uk/~alan/family/G-CradleyHeath.html

Look on this link to read the very harrowing lives of chain and nail makers in Cradley Heath. It was written by a someone who lived at that time and went to see for himself. Some of my ancestores were nail makers in this area. What a terrible life!