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This workbench was used by a cobbler in Slinfold, West Sussex. It consists of a round stool at the end on which the wobbler would sit, with various sections and compartments at the other end to hold rivets and tools readily at hand. According to the donor there was also generally a leather loop into which a candle was placed and lighted to work by, and also used to heat finishing irons before use. The boot or shoe being worked on was held by a strap hooked over the cobbler's knee and under the foot.

workbench: metal (?); woodleather straps

MERL miscellaneous note - 'In general factory practice the work is still carried out in principle as of old but done by machines. Some of the machines are very wonderful as are the machinists who work them.', Letter, Mrs FitzRandolph to MERL, 6th November 1955 - 'Our village cobbler has just given up work and in his workshop he has left a lot of equipment which, he maintains, is mine because it all belonged to the workshop which he took over complete from the former cobbler (who was also a bootmaker). There is his work stool, with a padded seat at one end, widening out at the other end to form a table or bench with little partitions fitted to make boxes for the nails; another low bench with similar fitted boxes, and a set of tools (which this man didn't use, having his own.) I imagine that the workshop was built and equipped by the first bootmaker, perhaps between 60 and 80 years ago. Would these benches and tools be of sufficient interest for preservation in your museum? ...'

1875-01-01 - 1899-12-31

Late-nineteenth century

Wood, Metal