Extinct crafts

Hi guys,

Just some things to look at.

Kieron mentioned looking at extinct crafts. Many of these crafts disappeared after the Industrial Revolution, when many things got mechanised.

Extinct craftspeople:

- Wheelwright - made wheels for wagons by hand.

- Pump-maker - drilled out the inside of an elm brand, to make a water pump for cottages.

- Cordwainer - made shoes, belts, harnesses, and other leather goods.

- Cooper - Made wooden barrels for beer and cider.

- Tinker - Mended metal buckets and watering cans.

Crafts that are slowly dying out:

- Saddlery

- Blacksmithing

- Mullwriting

- Pole-lathe turning

- Besom/rake making

(The Rural Crafts Association exists to keep these crafts alive, and to stop them from dying out completely)

Crafts killed or marginalized by a new invention:

- Smocking - The craft of embroiding a pleated fabric, which creates a stretchy effect. (This craft was killed by the invention of elastic.)

- Calligraphy - The art of producing decorative handwriting or lettering with a pen or brush. (This craft was nearly killed by the invention of the printing press, although it is still around).

- Silent film making - Lots of crafts were killed with the invention of sound including Title-card making.

Crafts created by a new invention:

- Paper folding - Could only come about with the invention of paper (obviously!), but it could not be done with fabric or cloth, because permanent folds cannot be made.

Crafts that have died:

- Faberge eggs - only made by one company for about 50 years. Only a handfull of eggs are in existance, which makes them super-valuable. The craft has died, no-one has revived it.

Louis