These are examples of pages from a book belonging to Mr. Shadford. He was a chair maker in Caistor. He learned his trade with Mr. Shirley. They both lived in Duck Street, now renamed Fountain Street. Mr. Shirley had a water powered factory in Boggs Lane (now Cromwell View). It is possible that Mr. Shirley rented this off the Shadford family. Photographs are posted on other pages.
There is no certainty that this book originally belonged to Mr. Shirley. It was originally used as a school exercise book as can be seen by the text and mathematics. He wsa both deaf and dumb as can be seen by the notes written by his wife. Not all the notes and sketches are to do with his work but tell us something of everyday life in the mid to late C19th.
The Shadford Chair Maker’s Book is deposited in the Lincolnshire Archives, St Rumbold, Street, Lincoln, LN2 5AB +44 (0)1522 526204. Permission to add this pages to the website has been kindly granted by the Dixon family and Lincolnshire Archives.
These pages have copyright protection and should not be copied without permission from the Lincolnshire Archives.
