Blacksmiths

The information below has been kindly donated to this OPC site by local researcher Richard Smith. 

Please also refer to the Slade family

Blacksmiths working at Martinstown  ( Winterborne St Martin )

George BARRETT was born at Netherbury on 23rd August 1771 son of Joseph and Elizabeth BARRETT nee DOLLEN. He married Mary ROGERS at Martinstown on 22nd December 1779 and was recorded as a blacksmith at Martinstown on her burial record on 22nd March 1837. In 1841 he was noted as a blacksmith at Bincombe, but died and was buried back at Martinstown on 14th November 1849.

George BARRETT was baptised at Martinstown on 11th December 1791 son of George and Mary BARRETT above.  He married Mary COWARD at Martinstown on 3rd November 1812 and was recorded as a blacksmith there on the baptism of their son James Christopher BARRETT on 13th October 1813, but where they went after that is a puzzle. There do not appear in the 1841 census at Martinstown.

John NORMAN was baptised at Martinstown on 28th June 1777 son of James and Catherine NORMAN nee BOWRING. He married Rebecca MILLS at Martinstown on 2nd August 1807 and was recorded working as a blacksmith there from 1813 to 1851. He died and was buried at Martinstown on 4th April 1855 aged 77. 

Thomas BARGE  was married at Portesham on 2nd November 1820 to Elizabeth WALLIS and was recorded as a blacksmith at Martinstown in baptism records from 1822 to 1834, but more records for him I cannot pin down. He is missing from the 1841 census and I think he died before 1841 - he wife was recorded as a widow in 1851.

Thomas WATTS was baptised at North Poorton on 30th October 1808 son of William, a labourer, and his wife Sarah Jane WATTS nee RUSSELL.  He married Elizabeth POMEROY at Netherbury on 25th January 1832, and was recorded as a blacksmith at Martinstown in baptism records from 1837 to 1840, but in 1841 he was at Toller Porcorum working as a farm labourer, which he did until 1881. He died and was buried at Toller on 21st December 1888.

Eli GEORGE was baptised at Moreton on 14th June 1801 son of Mary GEORGE.  I do not know where he trained but he was recorded as a blacksmith at Martinstown in the 1841 census. By 1851 he was working at Radipole, Weymouth and he died and was buried there on 9th August 1851.

James GALE was baptised at Powerstock on 27th December 1807 son of Joseph, a labourer, and his wife Ann GALE.  I do not know where he trained, nor where he worked in 1841, but in 1851 he was a blacksmith at Martinstown, before he married Catherine BISHOP at Burleston ( Athelhampton ) on 28th May 1856.  He was still working as a blacksmith at Martinstown in 1861, but died and was buried there on 20th February 1868.

John Charles TOMS was baptised at Martinstown on 1st September 1839 son of Joseph, a dealer in skins, and his wife Catherine TOMS nee NORMAN.  He was recorded as a blacksmith at Martinstown in 1861 and 1871 before he married Sarah NEWTON there on 26th October 1876. He continued to work as a blacksmith at Martinstown until he died and was buried there on 21st September 1897.

John Charles TOMS was born at Martinstown on 2nd January 1881 son of John and Sarah TOMS above.  It seems likely he was apprenticed and working with his father before he died in 1897. In 1901 John Jnr. was a blacksmith at Upwey, living with his widowed mother Sarah, but by 1911 had moved away to Burleston, Hampshire.

Joseph Frederick TOMS was baptised at Martinstown on 5th May 1850 son of John and Catherine TOMS above.  In 1871 he was recorded as a blacksmith working with his brother John at Martinstown, before he married Sarah Elizabeth STICKLAND in the summer of 1876. By 1881 and in 1891 he was a railway worker with London and South Western Railway, before he died at Dorchester in March 1898.

William Purchase NORTHOVER was baptised at Puncknowle on 18th July 1841 son of John, a carpenter and labourer, and his wife Jane NORTHOVER nee PURCHASE.  William was a farm labourer at Swyre in 1861 before he  married Henrietta Cumming MACKAY at Winterbourne Abbas on 7th June 1866.  William was recorded as a blacksmith at Winterbourne Abbas from 1866 to 1872 before, on 3rd October 1875, he was recorded as blacksmith at Martinstown on the baptism of his son George Percy John NORTHOVER. He then moved to Sydling St. Nicholas where he was recorded as a blacksmith from 1881 through to at least 1901. He died and was buried there on 23rd September 1906.

Frederick BALLOM or BOLLOM was born at Lytchett Minster about 1834 son of Joseph BALLOM a labourer.  He married Matilda DRAKE at Lytchett Minster on 26th July 1862, recorded as working there as a blacksmith and again in 1871. In 1881 he was a blacksmith working at Dorchester, then in 1891 as a blacksmith and farmer at Martinstown where he died and was buried on 29th November 1896.

Robert WARRY was born at Merriott, Somerset about 1832 son of Eliel, a blacksmith, and his wife Hannah WARRY nee ROUSELL.  No doubt he trained with his father but by 1851 he was a blacksmith at Mosterton, before he married Emily Slade SPEARING at Chard, Somerset in September 1854. He continued working as a blacksmith at Mosterton in 1861 and 1871, Then at Poole St. James in 1881 and in 1891 and 1901 he was working as a blacksmith at Martinstown.  He had retired by 1911 when he was then living at Stoke Sub Hamdon, Somerset where he died in March 1924. 

The SLADE family have been in the village since the mid 1700's with John SLADE arriving from Closworth in Somerset and marrying Elizabeth (Betty) Dashwood in St Martins church on 4th January 1777.* Thomas SLADE was baptised at Martinstown on 14th March 1859 son of Henry, a carter, and his wife Elizabeth SLADE nee LEGG.  He married  Mary Elizabeth GRANT at Martinstown on 11th August 1880, and was recorded working as a blacksmith from 1881 to at least 1921, and maybe beyond. Mary died in June 1926, and Thomas died on 19th March 1937 was buried at Martinstown.

Bertie George SLADE was born at Martinstown on 2nd September 1884 son of Thomas and Mary SLADE above. He married Emily Jane Hayward EDGSON at Stratton on 12th April 1909, when he was noted as a blacksmith at Wrackleford,  and was recorded working as a blacksmith at Martinstown from 1901, in 1911 and 1921 with his father, and then in 1939, also for much longer as his Probate noted that he died at The Smithy, Martinstown on 4th June 1969.

So was Bertie Slade in 1969 the last person to work as a blacksmith at Martinstown ?

20. 4. 2026

Richard Smith

PS : It is presumed that Bertie Slade was Stephen Slade's grandfather ? 

.* Additional information on the Slade has been kindly donated by Dawn Harris (nee Harris) on  4th May 2026