My ancestor was a SMITH...

Blacksmith
(Image link: www.wikipedia.org,
Author: Jeff Cubina,  3 Aug 2008, accessed 9 Feb 2014)

Smith is a worker of metal, they would use tools to hammer, bend and cut metal. The word is derived from "smite" which means to hit.

In the Medieval period, prior to the Industrial Revolution, each village would have a "village smithy" but factories and machinery would eventually take over in the mass production of these goods.

Other types of smith occupations: 

• farrier - a person who shoes horses
• blacksmith - a worker of iron or steel
• forger - a person who shapes metal by heating and hammering
• hammersmith
• whitesmith - a worker of tin or pewter, but mainly done with cold metals
• silversmith - a worker of silver
• goldsmith - a worker of gold
• gunsmith - a worker of guns

(Information from: Wikipedia - Blacksmith, Wikipedia - Whitesmith)

Copyright © 2013 Ruth Hogan