Shoemaker
All pictures from Colonial Williamsburg
(www.history.org) |
ALL ABOUT THE SHOEMAKERS Some of the colonists made shoes for the colonists. They made shoes because they live in the woods and need protection for their feet so that they would not get needles from cat briers and pine needle out working in the woods. The roads had cobblestone so they were very bumpy, so the shoes would protect the colonists feet in case they would sprain an ankle. The shoes usually lasted for a year and 1 month. Sometimes the colonists would buy an extra pair of shoes. Colonial people where always up and about, working or feeding animals, so they depended on the shoemakers to make their shoes so they would not hurt themselves. SKILLS The trades person would need to be strong and would have to be able to work with a hammer and an awl. Also sharp tools so they can attach the leather to the upper or the lasts. SHOP The shoemakers shop has shoes hung up on the wall that where ready to sell. The shop has lots of metal and wood tools. Wood chips would pile up on the floor, making the shop harder to clean. That is the work of the shoe makers! TOOLS AND PRODUCTS The products that the shoemaker made and sold were shoes. Shoemakers also fixed and repaired old worn shoes. The shoemakers usually made shoes that weren’t very fancy if you had a lot of money you could get shoes custom made for you. Nowadays you can look at shoes online or at a shoe store where the shoes are already made and displayed for you. Back in colonial times you would usually have to ask for shoes and wait for them to make them for you. Some important tools that the shoemakers used are an awl-a tool used for poking holes in leather or wood, hammer- a tool used for hammering nails into wood or other materials, also the shoemakers used was an ax- a tool used for cutting wood to make the wooden part of the shoe. |