No 12. Order for Hand Spikes
Date: 19th Century
Why is it important: Demonstrates a successful Emsworth business run by a woman.
No-one knew what handspikes were when Izzy Sumner, one of our intrepid volunteers, happened upon work requests for dozens of these amongst the Foster archives. Fortunately, our curator Philip Magrath did, having encountered them during his work as Curator Artillery. Handspikes are robust wooden levers of ash or elm between 5ft and 6ft in length, straight or curved and used to manoeuvre a gun, gun carriage or mortar bed into position.
Dated 1852 and 1879, the work requests were met by Mrs Jane King & Company of Emsworth, Timber, Coal Merchant & Boat Builder who fulfilled the former and William Foster, Ship Owner and Timber Merchant, the latter. In his case he was supplying the Army & Navy Lamp, Signal & Binnacle Works, London Docks showing how far local businesses were able to supply. There would also, no doubt, have been plenty of opportunities to seek business in this regard at Portsmouth Dockyard.
Find this in the cabinet to the left of the P G Wodehouse area.