Leatherwork In The Family

[Pkay]

I became interested in leatherwork when a demonstrator at an exhibition in Brighton said I would never be any good at it in 1973'ish.

I moved to Cornwall to explore surfing then I moved to the Moors where I met a leather worker who made black jacks and was equally dismissive about the possibility of me being a leatherworker. My partner bought me a kit for my birthday and after making and selling a couple of clutch bags I realised that I could slide right into leatherwork as a hobby.

Then I replied to an advert for a craft cooperative starting in North Devon and we moved there. I had to learn from day one and I did learn quickly. I even had help from visiting saddlers who were on holiday but showed me how to saddle stitch much more correctly than I had been doing.

I made everything that could be made from leather from holsters and belts to bikinis.

When I went back to Brighton my parents gave me a foot measuring gauge and a last, also a few hammers. Then they explained that my great grandfather had been a cobbler in the north Laines area of Brighton.

So it appears to run in the family.

[humperdingle]

My maternal grandfather was a cobbler...to my knowledge, no other member of my family have ever done any leatherwork. Gives me some sort of connection to him despite never meeting the man