Subject: Sisters of the Swage

From: [email-masked]
Date: Fri, 2 Aug 96 21:39: 8 PDT

I know we were on this tip a few months ago...

Here's excerpts from the the article, reprinted by the Northwest Blacksmith Association, reprinted from the California Blacksmiths Association, reprinted from The British Blacksmith, #74...

"In Medieval literature the female blacksmith , 'A fell woman and full of strife', had a particularly evil reputatation. She was supposed to have forged the nails for Christ's crucifixion after her husband had refused to do so, inventing a hand injury as an excuse. The scene is vividly represented in the Holkham Bible. 

Even a craft as strenuous as smithing sometimes depended on women who were responsible partners in family business and guild activities.

Katherine, the mother of Andrew of Bury, king's smith at the Tower, was paid a wage equal to his (8d. a day) so that she could 'keep up the king's forge in the tower and carry on the work of the forge'.
While Andrew was away at campaining at Crecy, in 1346.
She had gained plenty of experience for this, having been married to Walter of Bury who had been the king's smith for nine years. On another occasion, the king employed Katherine the Smith-wife for 'steeling and battering the masons' tools' at Westminster in 1348. She may have very well been the same Katherine of Bury.

Women could also be responsible for apprentices in the same way as masters of the craft. In 1364, Agnes the sife of John Cotiller promised to train Juseana as an apprentice, to feed , clothe and teach her and to NOT beat her with a stick or a knife.

Contrary to popular thought, the women were not given easy jobs like knife grinding.
The account of Byrkeknott, Wearsdale, isolates the women's tasks and their wages:
'Snytheman's' wife in 1408-1409 are described as follows:
'Helping to break up rock, blowing or working at the bellows, diverse labors, working at the bloom hearth and helping her husband.
She only earned a regular wage when she helped her husband; she was then paid a penny for every shilling he earned.

Women working at the smelters are illustrated in the paintings of Henri Bles (c. 1490) who loved in the region of Leige."

Finally,

"The ordinances of the girldlers of Paris and London forbade the employment of strange women, but allowed wives and daughters to work."

Hmmm.... Interesting, No?

Steve