Frome Museum J.W Singer & Sons

LEONARD STOCKTING

Leonard was born in Frome in 1897, In 1911 he was apprentice to J.W.SINGER & SONS LTD for 6 years to learn metal moulding. His pay was 3/- (l5p) a week during the first year, increasing by one shilling in subsequent years. His apprentice agreement was later endorsed 'He showed industry and ability and we were sorry to lose his services'. In 1916 he left early to join the Royal Naval Air Service as an air mechanic.

A moulder had a highly important and exacting job requiring great skills if the casting was not to be flawed. Singers made the memorial tablets for the Memorial Hall in Frome, Leonard making the wreaths of leaves surmounting its list of names.

In 1926 he joined Morris Singer in London and later Basingstoke and worked on important castings, including the statue of Field Marshall Viscount Montgomery. sculpted by Oscar Nemon. During the Second World War he worked for Westlands of Yeovil.

He died in 1986, aged 88. The Museum displays many lovely items by Stockting.

SOMERSET SMITHY

About the time Singers sold their art metal work to the Morris Art Bronze foundry of London, some of the employees preferred to remain in Frome. Among them was John WHITE, who set up his own business making hand wrought ornamental ironwork in 1922. He was joined by another craftsman Robert HOLLEY, and was later joined by his two sons, the firm becoming John WHITE & SONS. Using first an old stable in Willow Vale he moved to Christchurch Street West in 1947, where it remains. Later it became the Somerset Smithy.

The firm specialises in wrought iron gates and hand forged leaf and scroll work as the advertisement describes. Among its products were memorial gates in memory of Jack White, one of Somerset's greatest cricketers, at the Somerset County Cricket Ground.

The tradition of iron working continues to this day, with at least 5 small foundries within the vicinity. Their craftsmanship is displayed in Library Square where tree guards were commissioned by the District Council in 2002.