jan 1, 1698 - axle-tree

Description:

In its earliest history the word ‘axle-tree’ was associated chiefly with vehicles such as carts and carriages: it was the bar which had a revolving wheel at each end and it was made of wood. 1485 <i>xxj axiltrees, vs</i>, Ripon (SS64/373); 1558 <i>Item in axeltreys & beames ijs, </i>South Cave (Kaner55). The meaning soon expanded, and from <i>c</i>.1400 it readily came to refer also to any bar on which a wheel could turn, particularly one made of iron for a grindstone: 1541 <i>my gryndinge stones … with all the axiltreis and crookes</i>, Halifax (Clay154). The frequent references to iron axle-trees in the cutlers’ records are linked to the possession of water-powered grindstones: in 1547 Richard King mentioned in his will an <i>axiltree of yron</i> at Thomas Hobson’s of Wadsley Bridge, which he passed on to his son, whilst other property which included his <i>wheile</i> was bequeathed to his wife (WPS11). In 1639 William Nailor of Ecclesall was accused of stealing <i>six dozen of knives, value 2s, two pieces of iron called axiltrees and two other pieces of iron called hammers, value 6s</i> (YRS54/216). When a filesmith called Joseph Brammall died in 1698 the contents of his smithy included <i>two grinding stones with their axletrees</i> (FBH119). The term is usually found in contexts which emphasise the importance of this item to the cutler-grinders. In 1631-2, William Blithe had <i>att Heeley Wheele … an axletree, a pair of spindles, a trough, a little stithy, a paire of bellowes, 2 paire of tongs and 6 loads of stones</i> valued at £5 (WPS176).

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