The Sheffield Grinder - English Folk Song

[mjclark]

Anybody heard this song before about the dismal life of the 19th century blade grinders?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pTXjp2bf1vo&feature=youtube_gdata_player

 

[Attila]

Very interesting, thank you!

 

[mjclark]

Yeah - I suddenly remembered this song when I was grinding a Sheffield made microtome down to a near wedge by hand and discovering what a lot of work that was!
I also started wondering if I was going to give myself some kind of hideous disease from contact with all those carborundum and steel particles, but that's just silly.
From what I read, Carl Friedrich Ern's employees had it a lot easier, working at home with electric light.

 

[Seraphim]

Thanks!

 

[Brianskeet]

Very interesting! Thank you. Just another reason to respect some of my old blades.

 

[Alum of Potash]

Thanks. The video accompaniment was great too. Takes me back to a visit I made to an old scissors factory (now museum) in Solingen last summer.

 

[Prince of Darkness]

I remember this, it was also the B-side on his UK No.1 hit single "Capstick Comes Home"
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I2AcJSkUw6M

 

[Mr Brian]

How fun. thanks