Since I first cranked the bellows for my Grandfather, Ken Bradley, at Eastport, Bonavista Bay, in the 1970's, I have always had a profound interest in the trade. Included is my grandfathers anvil, which he and my Great Uncle Eli King shared as young men. Uncle Eli`s family gave me this anvil a few years back, keeping it in the family, and alive in the forge! Ken was a blacksmith at Sandringham and
Eastport his entire life. My grandmother Irene(nee Farwell) once explained why he had never become rich... A man had driven his double team of horses up from Burnside to be shoed for winter, after shoeing the team, Pop suggested they stay for supper. After all, they had a long drive back home, while eating the weather turned bad, so he invited them to spend the night! The price of the horseshoeing was 50 cents, for eight shoes, and included supper, the nights stay and probably breakfast! I also have his blacksmith manual, a 1925 copy of "Blacksmithing by R.W.Selvidge" given to me by my Uncle Ken Bradley, after he noticed my interest and love for the trade of Blacksmithing.
