Beverley Innes has asked us for help with this Middlewich mystery, after picking up these heavy brass caps, inscribed with the words 'J. Henshall, Builder, Middlewich' at an antiques market in Ludlow, Shropshire.
They're 7cm high and 6cm wide (that's 2 and-a-half inches x 2 and-a-bit inches in old money).
But what were they used for?
And who were Henshall's Builders in Middlewich?
We know that Henshall is a common Middlewich name.
There were property owners in Webbs Lane right up until the 1970s with the names 'Mrs Yoxall and Mr Henshall', and one of the marshalls during the town's Relief of Mafeking Celebrations was a Mr Henshall.
But what of Henshall the Builders?
Where were they situated, and what would they have used these brass caps for?
Beverly would love to know, and so would we.
If you've any idea, get in touch through the usual channels.
UPDATE:
By 11pm on the day of publication of this diary entry we were getting close to the truth, courtesy of Jon Ranwell who recommended that we google 'carriage hub caps'
It's very likely that that is exactly what these interesting brass caps are, and that 'Henshall, Builder' does not refer to a 'builder' in the general sense, but to the builder of a horse-drawn vehicle!
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| 28th July 2020 |
They look like plumbing caps to me. There is still Henshall's Builders in middlewich.
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