Hi,

I am now in the possession of my Great Grandfather's planer.  The
inscription on the side reads as follows:

"H. Slater Maker Olerkenwell London".  Does anyone know about this  
maker?  I
am trying to date the thing.  My Grandfather came to Canada from England
c1908.  It is about 10 inches long and 3 inches high and 1 =BD inches  
wide.
It is mostly steel with wooden inlaid handles on top.  Does anyone know
about the Maker?  Thanks Tammy

Tammy Priolo B.A.Sc., P.L.C.G.S.
The Ancestor Investigator
"May All Your Genealogical Dreams Come True!!!"

______________________________________________________________

Tammy Priolo wrote:

>>I am now in the possession of my Great Grandfather's planer.
>>The inscription on the side reads as follows:

>>"H. Slater Maker Olerkenwell London".  Does anyone know about 
this maker?  I am trying to date the thing.  My Grandfather 
>>came to Canada from England c1908.  

>>It is about 10 inches long and 3 inches high and 1 =BD inches 
>>wide. It is mostly steel with wooden inlaid handles on top. 

Richard Wilson responded:

>would be Clerkenwell in the grand old City, and a quick search
>reveals

>H SLATER Meredith Rd. Clerkenwell London (1873 - 1877)...

The information from the online dealer's webpage, which Richard 
consulted, is based on data from William Goodman's _British 
Planemakers from 1700_, 3rd edition, c. 1993. I have some 
additional information, but, first, here is the entirety of
Goodman's entry:

             *******************

SLATER, Henry                      London
  17 Wynyatt St., Goswell Rd.    1878 - 1872
  Meredith Rd., Clerkenwell      1873 - 1877
SLATER, Benjamin
  68 Charles St., City Rd.       1877 - 1887
  & 252 High Holborn WC          1877 - 1887
SLATER, H. & Son
  Clerkenwell Green                 < 1909 >

Metal planemakers with a considerable output.
Cast shoulder planes seem to be particularly common.

            *********************

I included the last sentence, because Tammy's plane sounds like 
a shoulder plane.

I've found additional information which complicates the above
information somewhat. For example, in an 1882 directory, Henry 
Slater is simply listed as a hinge maker, at 34 Meredith Street,
Clerkenwell EC, while Benjamin is listed as a hinge maker ("sole
manufacturer of Redmund's & Gollop's patent hinges ..."), as well
as an "iron & metal plane maker, at 68 Charles Street, City Road 
EC. 

However, in another directory from 1884, Benjamin Slater is 
simply listed as a hinge maker, at the 68 Charles Street address,
while Henry Slater is listed as the "sole manufacturer of 
Redmund's & Gollop's patent hinges", as well as an "iron & gun 
metal [bronze] Planemaker, Wholesale and Retail," at 34 Meredith 
Street. Someone may have mixed up information while compiling 
the directory, but this suggests the possibility that Henry 
Slater may have continued making planes for some time after 
1877.

In the 1891 directory, Benjamin Slater is still listed as a
plane maker, but at 69 Moreland Road. From 1895 until, at least,
1899, both Benjamin and Henry are simply listed as hinge makers,
Henry still at the 34 Meredith Street address and Benjamin 
continuing at the Moreland address. Indeed, Benjamin Slater
was still being listed as the "sole manufacturer of Redmund's
& Gollop's patent hinges" as late as 1914, still at the 
69 Moreland Street, City Road address.

In addition to Goodman's 1909 entry for H. Slater & Son, I've
also found the firm listed in the 1910 directory, still at the
Clerkenwell Green address. The firm has disappeared by 1914. 
Unfortunately, I don't have access to any London directories 
from 1900 to 1909, so have no means of determining if they 
were in business prior to 1909. 

Goodman doesn't illustrate any marks for these firms, so I 
have no way of knowing what mark the H. Slater & Son firm 
may have used. While it seems likely that Tammy's plane was
made during the 1873 - 1877 (1884?) period, there is a 
little possibility it was made at the later period.

Don McConnell
Lake Placid, FL (temporarily)

__________________________________________________
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well, as others will say,

>"H. Slater Maker Olerkenwell London".

would be Clerkenwell in the grand old City, and a quick search reveals

H SLATER Meredith Rd. Clerkenwell London (1873 - 1877) Gunmetal, Steel
soled Bullnose Plane (click for photograph), Rosewood wedge.
Approximately 3 3/4" x 1" wide; 1" wide W Marples & Sons Cast Steel
blade, approximately
3/4" remains, shoulder to edge. Tight mouth. An attractive little plane,
  with much original finish, however the gunmetal has a small bruise on
  the nose and on the top of the casting there are a number of small
  knocks or dimples. Nonetheless, a very useful, crisp, little plane.
  G+. 275.00 pounds

the pic link resolves to http://www.trindersfinetools.co.uk/t583.jpg

Richard Wilson Busy doing other things really. . .

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thats Clerkenwell not Olerkenwell

a small area near the city wall that used to be well known for  
craftsmen.

Danny

-----Original Message-----
From: Tammy Priolo [mailto:cpriolo@o...]
Sent: Friday, June 03, 2005 3:17 PM
To: oldtools
Subject: [oldtools] Planer H. Slater Maker Olerkenwell London

Hi,

I am now in the possession of my Great Grandfather's planer.  The
inscription on the side reads as follows:

"H. Slater Maker Olerkenwell London".  Does anyone know about this  
maker?  I
am trying to date the thing.  My Grandfather came to Canada from England
c1908.  It is about 10 inches long and 3 inches high and 1 =BD inches  
wide.
It is mostly steel with wooden inlaid handles on top.  Does anyone know
about the Maker?  Thanks Tammy

Tammy Priolo B.A.Sc., P.L.C.G.S.
The Ancestor Investigator
"May All Your Genealogical Dreams Come True!!!"

______________________________________________________________