Unidentified plane maker

[richarnold]

I picked up this moulding plane at the last David Stanley auction. The maker is as yet unidentified, so knowing how some of you chaps like a challenge, i thought i would put it out there for discussion. here are the details. The plane is marked John Symonds, and I'm pretty sure this is a makers mark. there is also another small mark giving the location of it's manufacture. This is in a curious script, and reads, Salop. The plane is just over 10 inches long, and has it's original iron which is by Robert Moore. The wedge is also original to the plane, and has a curious cut out at the back. I'm sure this is not a later modification. Typical of early planes, it has broad flat shamfers, and a pronounced fillet at the shoulder. All in all I would say that it was possibly made some time before 1740. planes by provincial makers before this date are seldom seen, so it would be great to find out who mr Symonds was.

 

[toolsntat]

Very nice Richard 8)

Andy

 

[Cheshirechappie]

I'm not sure if this helps any, but Salop is one of the old names for the town of Shrewsbury in Shropshire. The old railwaymen always used to refer to Shrewsbury as 'Salop', and people hailing from that neck of the woods are still referred to as Salopians.

I'd be surprised if someone was running a dedicated plane-making business in Shrewsbury in the 18th century, but as a county town, it would have had quite a few woodworking tradesmen, one of whom might have made a few planes as a sideline. That's just conjecture, though.

 

[jimi43]

A very nice old plane indeed. I have spent the last hour trying to Google and trawl my books but can't find it. Clearly the "Salop" stamp was important to him at least....I'm sure a bit of digging will find it...but I think we need to get the Prof involved! :wink:

Jim

 

[Plumberpete]

I'm not sure if this helps any, but Salop is one of the old names for the town of Shrewsbury in Shropshire. The old railwaymen always used to refer to Shrewsbury as 'Salop', and people hailing from that neck of the woods are still referred to as Salopians.

Salop is short for Shropshire in the same way that Hants is short for Hampshire; http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shropshire

 

[AndyT]

A very nice old plane indeed. I have spent the last hour trying to Google and trawl my books but can't find it. Clearly the "Salop" stamp was important to him at least....I'm sure a bit of digging will find it...but I think we need to get the Prof involved! :wink:

Jim

Jim, that's very flattering but I haven't a clue! The trouble is that the easy on-line sources that I know about, such as the Historical Directories Project don't go back to the 18th Century. We need a proper genealogy specialist to track down Mr Symonds, and I'm not one!

Richard and anyone else with BPM II will know that Robert Moore was a Birmingham plane iron maker around 1750 to 1770 which fits nicely with the style of the plane and a Shropshire location (probably urban, so probably Shrewsbury).

Cheers,

Andy (who doesn't even have BPM III)

 

[richarnold]

Thanks for the input folks. i've done a bit more digging about myself, and found reference to a births entry for a John Symonds in the shrewsbury high street church records. He was born on the 25 of september 1698. his father being Joshua Symonds. unfortunately it doesn't mention what Joshuas trade was. More info on Robert Moore has come to light in recent years, and the dates have been pushed back a lot. they have found that his father, also named Robert, was a plane iron maker. This would explain why so many of the very early planes have been found with Robert Moore irons.

 

[dickm]

Salop is short for Shropshire in the same way that Hants is short for Hampshire

And, FWIW, was usually pronounced "Sollop" by the natives, before the county was overrun by escapees from Birmingham!


Just noticed the user's name on the plane; there were Croxtons farming in South Shropshire some 50 years ago, and probably still are. Quite an unusual name otherwise, so could be the same family.