Fig. 12. Price list, undated, from around 1850.
Directories prior to 1859 refer to the firm as planemakers and without doubt the business was built around the production of planes. The history of the firm has already been outlined above. However, the tools themselves also help to establish their date of origin. Moulding planes can be approximately dated by style and form. The length, the shape of the wedge, whether their wedges are flat or rounded, are all distinguishing features. From this information, a plane with flat chamfers and a rounded wedge can be placed fairly accurately in the 18th century. Although he was not operating in Norwich until the 19th century, some of the Griffiths planes have these characteristics, which gives rise to the possibility that John Griffiths was making planes prior to moving to Norwich.
The earliest of his planes are marked "I. Griffiths". Three Griffiths planes in the author's collection have this mark. Of the three, two have flat chamfers and round wedges (although one might be a replacement) but the third one has rounded chamfers. (Fig. 4.) This would indicate that John Griffiths was making planes in the transitional period between planes being made with flat chamfers and the later style of rounded chamfers. The date of this transition cannot be determined exactly as it varies from area to area but it is likely that it would not be later than 1790-1800. Unfortunately no bench plane (i.e. smoother, jack or tryplane) bearing this particular stamp has been recorded as yet.
Another feature that assists in the dating of tools is the type of name stamp used to imprint the maker's name. As a general rule stamps with serrated borders were used until about 1850 (although some collectors consider that the transition started early, from about 1825) after which time the more popular and legible incuse stamps were used.
The Griffiths business spanned this period and there are many examples of both styles of stamp on their planes. Fig. 5 shows an illustrated description of the stamps discovered to date which have been arranged as far as possible in chronological order, although this involved some conjecture.
It is apparent from the List of Prices Settled by the Trade of PlaneMakers.Mr.Griffiths' Shop (reproduced separately in this Journal) that Griffiths made a great variety of planes including many of the more unusual ones. Fig. 6 to 9 give some idea of the planes made by Griffiths and also shows some of the above mentioned different types of name stamps.
Planes were the mainstay of the Griffiths enterprise but every firm had to keep abreast of developing areas of interest and need. In the earliest price list known to the author, headed "J. R. Griffiths" the firm is described as being brace and saw manufacturers as well as planemakers. It is doubtful however whether Griffiths actually made braces and saws, although the wooden brace shown in Fig. 10 is stamped with one of the earlier Griffiths stamps (pre 1820). Whilst it is possible that this was made by the firm, it is one of only two known to the author. The implication is therefore that it is more likely that braces were "bought in" from Sheffield or Birmingham for resale.
It is known from irons found in planes made by Griffiths that they purchased irons from a variety of makers including Ward, Marples, Turner & Co., Moulson Brothers, Sorby and Fenton & Marsden, all of Sheffield. However, reference to the plan of Pottergate Street and the Lower Goat Lane area of Norwich reproduced in Fig. 11 (which was produced by Chas. E. Goad Ltd for insurance purposes in the late 19th century) clearly shows a smithy immediately behind and forming part of 35 Pottergate Street. This plan also shows the Griffiths tool manufactury behind and the retail outlet of the firm at 26 Lower Goat Lane. It is probable therefore that some of their metal work was carried out on the premises.
The two price lists held by the Bridewell Museum (Figs. 12 and 13), one undated from around 1850, the other dated 1872, use similar wording in the heading, advertising the same tools in that heading. The 1872 list also advertises other tools at the foot including two particularly interesting items.
The Jennings Screw Bits must have been obtained from Sheffield. The sole agency for these American bits was only ever held by two firms: Henry Brown & Sons in 1864 and then William Marples & Sons between 1864 and 1883.3
The Metal Planes ready for fitting
were presumably metal castings from another manufacturer which Griffiths would fit with wood of the purchaser's choice.
It can be seen from Fig. 14, taken at the turn of the century that, although planes still remained the firm's principal manufactured product and for which it is best known, the window of Griffiths' shop are full of tools other than planes. The author believes that the gentleman standing outside the shop is John Robert(iii).
Unfortunately, there is no record of what happened to the workshop equipment either when the firm moved from 35 to 91 Pottergate Street or when Horace died in 1958. When Mr Salaman visited 91 Pottergate Street after Horace's death he discovered that the whole workshop had been cleared out by a neighbour and dumped. However, one of the name stamps and a half-made jack plane were rescued. The jack plane (Fig. 15), now in the author's collection, clearly shows the lines drawn by the planemaker in preparation for cutting the mouth of the plane and the stamp, a rare one, is the "general purpose" broken "H" stamp.
It is known that the Griffiths shop sign was the "Golden Plane". This is recorded on a billhead of 1856 (Fig. 16) and the author thinks that John Griffiths used this sign from soon after he established himself in Norwich. It is tempting to speculate that the choice of shop sign was influenced by Gabriel's address in Golden Lane, London. The sign used by the firm survives today in the Stranger's Hall Museum, Norwich. (Fig 17)
Fig. 12. Price list, undated, from around 1850.
Fig. 13. Price list dated October 1872.