At 08:43 PM 10/05/2005, Ray Hennessy wrote: >Hi Judy > >Further to Anne's reply on the trade, if you want to find the location of >a particular blacksmith, have a look at the 1896 Ordnance Survey maps >[re-published by Caledonian Maps]. These are all held at ANESFHS [who >will sell you copies] and probably in Elgin Library. Ferness would be on >Sheet 84, which I don't have. > >The maps show the location of each "Smithy", usually about 2-4 miles >apart. This was the equivalent of the UK Automobile Association showing >the location of AA-authorised garages in the inter-war years. As the main >means of personal transport in Victorian times was by horse, travellers >would need to know the nearest Smithy should they suffer the equivalent of >a mechanical breakdown - shedding a horse-shoe or breaking a carriage wheel! > >Best wishes > >Ray Hennessy Further to Ray's suggestion, I wonder if this the correct Smithy - it is opposite a bridge, just a short distance north of Ferness. and is on the OS map dated 1874. Go to :- http://www.old-maps.co.uk/index.htm and place the following numbers into the search box:- 296096, 846222 then click on Co-ordinate then Search. You will then get two offers of maps - chose Nairnshire. Click on Enlarged view, and look in the centre to see the smithy on the west side of the Logie Bridge. I did not look south, as the site of this smithy was so close to a bridge, and the original place sought was "Smithy at Ferness Bridge", so I thought that this might be the appropriate one! Ed Barron <ejbarron@netspace.net.au>