What Does A Wainwright Make And Repair

The HCA Red List of Endangered Crafts

Wainwrighting

The making of horse-drawn wagons, including ship wagons, bow wagons, bowtop wagons and gypsy caravans (meet also wheelwrighting and coach building).

Status	Critically endangered
Craft category	Vehicles, wood
Historic area of significance	United kingdom of great britain and northern ireland
Surface area currently practised	Uk
Origin in the Great britain	Bronze Historic period
Current no. of professionals (main income)	three-4 businesses
Electric current no. of professionals (sideline to main income)
Current no. of trainees
Current total no. serious amateur makers
Current total no. of leisure makers
Minimum no. of craftspeople required

History

Four wheeled vehicles have been made from the get-go days after the invention of the wheel, that is in the region of 5,000 years. The earliest British representation of a four wheeled railroad vehicle is probably the ane in the Bayeux Tapestry, a special vehicle conveying a large butt. This has wheels of equal sizes on the ii axles, which suggests that information technology may not have had a turning forecarriage, the primeval four wheeled prestige carriages in this country, such equally that in the Luttrell Psalter, were certainly made without one, in spite of the invention beingness known to the Hallstatt wagon builders and the Romans, though the Roman archaeology is a bit arguable, backed by some oblique textual references.

The farm vehicles of United kingdom in the nighttime ages and eye ages were mostly ii wheeled carts and carts continued to exist the principal farm vehicles correct up to the introduction of tractors.

Turning forecarriages had been introduced into British carriages by the end of the 16th century, and in the 17th century wagons were existence built with them, simply there is no clear evidence for their use in Britain before then, though continental ones seem to be attested past legislation and literature. The idea seems to follow the development of belatedly medieval vehicles on the virtually continent, arriving in England coincidentally with industries like brickmaking and information technology has been said that immigrant workmen from the low Countries brought the idea. The strongest evidence suggests that wagons started the development into their last course in the Eastern counties, for use in road transport. Wagons grew in popularity with farmers through the 18th century, presumably because they could demonstrate their prowess by displaying a fine wagon. Strong local design traditions grew up and became a leading expression of the country's craftsmanship. Wheelwrights' workshops could demonstrate a flair for making them and some would grow to specialise more than others in producing wagons and carts. Some firms that grew in this way withal exist, grown into modern agricultural engineers. Most are at present gone.

The economy of a railroad vehicle making workshop ran amend in the larger workshops. Wagon making was a collaborative enterprise, which is not surprising, at the very least a blacksmith needed to work with the wheelwright to make a cart. Apart from this kind of enterprise the usual route for wagons to be built was that a wheelwrights store, decorated with repairs through the summer months was gainfully occupied in the winter making a wagon or 2.

In the Victorian period firms acting as factoriess grew up, supplying parts to wheelwrights much every bit motor factors practice to garages today, and this enabled them to make a range of vehicles with fittings such every bit springs. Hovewever, specialisation was no new matter, as in the 15th century at that place were 10 or xi or so wheelwrights shops in Lullingstone, Kent, selling wheels at a charge per unit which obviously undercut rivals.

Techniques

Local forms

Wagon and cart builders from one county to the next would have fabricated distinct designs, which were locally adequate.

Sub-crafts

Issues affecting the viability of the craft

Market bug: Changing tastes – in the 1980s there was a need for brewers drays which has now disappeared.
Market issues: Farm wagons are not worth the corporeality they toll to repair (value of £3,000 – £iv,000 compared with £vii,000 – £8,000 to repair), and then very few people are repairing them and then in that location aren't many wagons left. This will somewhen plow a corner and wagons volition go and then rare that their value will increment and the need will ascent.
Loss of skills: The skills that are most in danger of dying out are those needed to make a new vehicle from outset to end. The master market place for wagon making is in restoration – very few people buy new English vehicles, they either buy English vehicles to repair, or new Eastern European vehicles. Most wheelwrights tin can repair a wagon (how it always was), but at that place are perhaps iii-four places who can brand wagons from scratch.
Dilution of skills: Anyone can buy a workshop and phone call themselves a wagon maker, without necessarily having much experience or skill.
Business rates: Need large workshop to fit the vehicles in, so business rates are very loftier.

Back up organisations

The Worshipful Visitor of Wheelwrights

Craftspeople currently known

Mike Rowland & Son, Colyton, Devon. Iii railroad vehicle makers including 1 journeyman.
Crofords Coachbuilders, Ashford, Kent.
Gloucester Cycle and Carriage Co, Uley, Gloucestershire.

Other data

The traditional progress of the arts and crafts was from wheelwright to wainwright to coachbuilder. The work of a wainwright is not equally fine as that of a coachbuilder, with fewer trimmings etc.
In the 1960s/70s wheelwrights were principally wainwrights as well but this is no longer the example as wagons are rarely built, certainly non new and restoring an existing vehicle/railroad vehicle is far easier than building from scratch.

References

Information provided by Robert Hurford.

Jenkins, J Geraint, The English Subcontract Carriage
Arnold, James, Subcontract Wagons and Carts
David Viner, Wagons and Carts
Sturt, George, The Wheelwright's Shop
McNeill, C A, (1978) Technological Development in wheeled vehicles in Europe from prehistory to the sixteenth century (unpublished PhD thesis, Edinburgh University)
Museum of English Rural Life, Wagon Walk