The Wheelwright's Shop

George Sturt

Cambridge University Press, 1963 - Literary Criticism - 264 pages

George Sturt's frank and moving account of his trade as a wheelwright in the late nineteenth century offers a unique glimpse into the working lives of craftsmen in a world since banished by technology. The wheelwright's shop where he entered business had been operating for two centuries; this chronicle, first published in 1923, is a poignant record of that tradition, written as it was passing into history. E. P. Thompson's new foreword acclaims the significance of Sturt's engaging narrative as a vital document in the history of labour at the turn of the century.

Contents

• BEGINNINGS: 3
• THE STURTS: 5
• MY OWN START: 12
• THE WHEELWRIGHTS SHOP: 17
• BUYING: 23
• CARTING AND CONVERTING: 27
• THE SAWYERS: 32
• SEASONING: 41
• WHEELSTUFF: 44
• KINDLY FEELING: 53
• HANDWORK: 56
• BOTTOMTIMBERS: 61
• WAGGONS: 65
• WAGGONLOCKING: 69
• CURVES: 74
• TAPERING AND SHAVING: 79
• LEARNING THE TRADE: 83
• DISH: 91
• SPOKES AND FELLOES: 95
• STOCKS: 100
• RINGING THE WHEEL: 104
• COOK: 108
• GETTING READY: 117
• PUTTINGON: 123
• BOXINGON: 129
• EXBEDS: 132
• BEVELLED TYRES: 138
• SHOEING SQUARE TONGUES: 145
• SHOEING STRAKES: 148
• THE NEW IRON AGE: 153
• ORDINARY IRONWORK: 159
• THE IRON AGE MOVING ON: 165
• WILL HAMMOND: 172
• JOBBING: 175
• CUTTING AND SHUTTING: 182
• SUNDRY IMPLEMENTS: 189
• PRICES: 197
• NOTES: 205
• GLOSSARY: 213
• INDEX: 225

Bibliographic information

• Title: The Wheelwright's Shop
• Author: George Sturt
• Edition: illustrated, reprint, revised
• Publisher: Cambridge University Press, 1963
• ISBN: 0521091950, 9780521091954
• Length: 264 pages
• Subjects: Literary Criticism / European / English, Irish, Scottish, Welsh; Literary Criticism / General