Genealogy Forum UK

I Have a book: [b]CHAINMAKING IN THE BLACK COUNTRY [b]by Ron Moss.
It has a picture of Lucy Woodhall, probably the last lady chainmaker in the Black
Country, she retired in 1972 age 73 yrs. She had been making chains for over
60 years, working at Samuel Woodhouse & sons. There is also a quote from
another book 'Both sides of the Severn' called 'Amazons who make chain'...The
lady chainmaker is described as nearly 6 ft.tall, wearing a man's check cap, an
apron made out of a potato bag, hob-nailed boots and a plaid shawl, she had the
brawny arms of a heavyweight boxer, and made chain in a shop in 'Tibbetts Garden'
in Cradley Heath.......Also a picture of the 'Mushroom Green' Chainshop....and a
Ted Attwood 'scarphing' a link at Noah Bloomers, Quarry Bank (1975).

Quote from'CHAINMAKERS OF THE BLACK COUNTRY'...
One of the 'Fires' (Gangs) that made the cable chain for the
ill-fated R.M.S. Titanic that sank on her maiden voyage, 15th
April 1912, was lead by Ben Hodgetts, known locally as the
'King of Chainmakers' Albert Hodgetts(his son), Theopholus
Dunn, George Bridgewater and Ben Woodhouse. made up the team.
The cable was 3 1/4" diameter and 22 lengths of 15 fathoms, (90ft).
and was made at Noah Hingley's Netherton.