Three generations of Tatum family mark 80th anniversary of their traditional ironworks,

Entering the 500-year-old forge feels like stepping into history.

The blacksmith’s workshop is filled with traditional tools dating back 100 years, a blaxing coal fire to fashion coils of ironwork and work benches, all enclosed in a beamed forge inWakes Colne that has been the home to the Tatum family ironworks for 80 years.

“My grandfather Stanley Tatum found this forge and set the business up here in 1934,” explains Roger Tatum, 47, who now runs the business.

“He was from Cornwall, where his father and grandfather were fishermen, but my grandfather trained as a blacksmith. He had to move out of the area to find work because there was some sort of recession going on. He ended up here and found the forge.”

The previous owner of the blacksmith’s workshop had died and Stanley asked the landlord to let him reopen it, so he did.

The business focused on horseshoes and eventually, repairing agricultural machinery. These days, while there is still a bit of agricultural work to be done, the main part of the business is making decorative garden items such as arbours, gates, wheelbarrows and seats.

This year the business, now named Roger Tatum – Traditional Ironworks – celebrates its 80th anniversary and Roger can boast that three generations of family are still involved – Roger, his father John, and Roger’s son Ben, 19, who is to start a welding course at college.

Working with the family is Richard Harvey, 60, who joined the company with John when he was left school as a young teenager.

“My father started learning about the trade when he was 12,” says Roger.

“He would have started mainly by helping shoe the horses, doing some metal work and making small items. He would have been watching his father all the time and learned that way. It took him about five or six years to learn his trade and his is still involved in the business today and he is 74!”

John sees his work as a hobby now, helping his son measure up for new jobs, installing items and helping out where he can. Roger was older, aged 24, when he decided to train as a blacksmith. After trying other work Roger decided he enjoyed working for his father too much and trained as a blackmith’s apprentice.

These days Roger’s son Ben, 19, helps out in the business.

Ben says: “It took me about as long to train as my father and I picked things up as I went along. We started getting involved with more decorative work which I enjoyed and now we deliver all over the country.” The firm will make bespoke items and work with customers on what they want.

One customer requested a smaller version of Elvis Presley’s gates they had seen at Graceland, which they could fit into their garden. Roger was able to oblige and says it only took him a week to complete.

The intricate detailing of benches, seats and gates is done through fire work, where they smith’s coal nuts as they are called, are heated to an extremely high temperature which allows the iron to soften and be shaped.

Roger says: “It takes years to learn, but it’s what I enjoy so you get faster at it. People slowly began to appreciate the traditional trade we do that has been going on for hundreds of years. It’s hardwork but when you see the end product it’s so satisfying.”

DID YOU KNOW BLACKSMITHS can’t wear gloves when they are working with the fire.

Roger Tatum explains: “You have to be able to feel the metal get hot. If you are wearing gloves you may not notice it and could burn your hand.

“If you are not wearing gloves you can put your hand straight into the water,” he says, pointing to the trough of water next to the fire. I’ve had a few knocks and burns, but you get used to it and your hands get tougher and tougher.”

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