But first to get myself in the mood I met up with Innes Duffus, Archivist for the Nine Incorporated Trades of Dundee. He was hugely entertaining and a font of knowledge about the Nine Trades. Over a couple of coffees and cakes we chatted about all manner of things trade related and otherwise.
Innes spent his mechanical engineering apprenticeship at Wolseley Cars in Birmingham and as a Brummie lass myself we both enjoyed a chat about our old stomping grounds in the West Mids...
Both of us enjoyed a good natter taking all sorts of interesting digressions and I also left our meeting with a pile of reading to boot (Homework!) - about Weaving, the Linen Industry, Jute (of course!), the crafts of Dyeing, Tailoring and Baking.
It should perhaps be noted that in addition to a passion for cloth/textile my passion for cake comes close second! I've to check out Clarks (all night) Bakery apparently, and Innes recommended Goodfellow & Steven on Union Street - next trip for sure.
Anyway - as I'm hoping to collect trade related stories and examples of folks tools of their trade as I take a journey through Dundee's historical and contemporary working culture, I asked Innes to get me started:
The object or tool Innes most proudly associated with his trade skills in mechanical engineering (for the car industry) was a Van Norman Boring Bar - for re-drilling engine cylinders.
The tale about workers bringing in pots to gather fresh honey dripping through the ceiling rafters in a textile mill in Blairgowrie is, as they say, another story!!
Thanks Innes for all your top tales and tips - more next trip.
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