Three generations of
Foxtons then worked the forge. These included
John and Anne Foxton, Thomas Henry and Dora Annie,
Cecil and Christiana. Many Foxtons lived at
Pasture House the grounds of which are full of old horse shoes, metal bits and
pieces. The Foxton's were related to the
Huddlestone's.
The last blacksmith in
Normanby was Jarvis Browning, part of the famous
literary family. The wind vane on the garage of Pasture House was made
by him (the design is a train based on one at the top of the old North Eastern
Railway HQ buildings in York). Jarvis also made the main gate latch for
pasture house. He is still in the area working on a peripatetic basis.
Jarvis had the romantic
notion of planting a chestnut tree outside the forge but it was too close to
the building and had to be removed.
Blacksmiths recorded in Directories:
Robert
Huddlestone 1857, John Foxton
1879, John and Thomas Foxton 1931, (being the sons
of John, John (Jack) lived in Fernleigh and Thomas
lived in Pasture house he also had a son Thomas Hubert who married Gladys
Sleightholme, Gladys sold to the
Dowells), Thomas H and Cecil
Foxton (Vine cottage) to 1960 and R Rosher.
Blacksmith's Cottage
This tiny little house is
now a listed building. In the 1800 through to 1930's, being the visiting
Journeyman's cottage for a number of trade callers. George & Phyllis Hornby
lived there in 1942 followed by Art Marton to
1958. In the 60's it was the home of Jack Walkington a WW2 soldier
"Royal Engineers".
Top