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Frost & Barrett Griffiths H.Griffiths & Son

From the tool chest of Mr.S Harrington, cabinet maker.

You never quite know what you’ll find, when you open up an old tool box.

I purchased a tool chest recently, from a family member of a ‘Mr.S Harrington’. A lot of Mr.Harrington’s tools were stamped with his name, but one of the most interesting finds was buried right at the bottom of the chest, covered in dust. I love that Mr. Harrington kept receipts for such a number of the tools he purchased during his career. Here are some of the receipts, they make for interesting reading, in that beautiful copperplate writing of the age. What must it have been like to be served in such an establishment as ‘Frost & Barrett’, or ‘H.Griffiths & Son’, quite different to the service one receives these days, I expect.







Oo-er, looks like a visit from Mr.Frost is on the cards!


‘Iron for 2″ Stanley Shave with Hole’. Interesting that this receipt is from another location, ‘H.Griffiths & Co’. I also have a lot of moulding planes from Griffiths of Norwich, which were in Mr Harrington’s tool chest.

I would love to know which one of these chaps might be Mr S.Harrington, if indeed he is one of them.

If anyone can tell me which church this work was done for, I’d be really interested to know. Thank you.

2 replies on “From the tool chest of Mr.S Harrington, cabinet maker.”

Hello Gary.

will you be interested in selling the white Frost and Barrett invoice. I collect Norwich tools and have a vast collection of Griffiths. Have you seen my book on Norwich toolmakers?.

Michael.

Hi there I live in Norwich and also follow your passion for lovely old hand tools and also have a couple of planes of different makers from my home town. Griffiths of Norwich planes where made on a little street called Lower goat lane (actually very close to Dove Street where tool supplies was. I will investigate more to try and find actual location of shop. On quick research I found out that All Saints Church Norwich had extensive renovations during 19th century with completion of the upper tower 1913 and it is also merely a short walk away from store to site. Intriguing if only the old planes could tell there story….

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