This film is part of Free

S.W. Wright - Wheelwright

Mr Wright the Lowestoft wheelwright and his vintage Morris car, filmed with affection by his son-in-law

Amateur film 1978 7 mins

From the collection of:

Logo for East Anglian Film Archive

Overview

Mr Austin Mobbs filmed his father-in-law Mr Sydney Wright, describing it as 'a portrait of Dad, one of the old craftsmen', In Lowestoft, Suffolk, Mr Wright arrives at his workship in his treasured 1930s Morris car. Near retirement in his 80s, he shows how he would build a wooden wheel then fits an iron tyre. This traditional craft required skilled judgement by eye, and fast work as the metal softens and expands in the fire, then contracts around the wooden frame as it cools.

When the forge was in its heyday, 10 tyre rims would be heating in the fire together. After Mr Wright died, in 1979 the forge on Granville Road, Lowestoft was scheduled for demolition, and the Lowerstoft Archaeological and Local History Society had it described for their journal. Mr Wright had owned the site since 1942 or earlier, having been bombed out of his previous premises. The upper part of the building had previously been a sail-maker's loft. Equipment from the site was given to Lowestoft Museum including the forge, electric and hand bellows, anvil, mandril, wheel horse, painting horse, felloes and patterns, hand tools, two incomplete wheels and a leather apron.