The Forgotten Crafts

by John Seymour

Taking the reader on an evocative journey through the worlds of traditional craftspeople from blacksmith to bee-keeper, wainwright to housewife the acknowledged "Father of Self-sufficiency" John Seymour celebrates their honest skills, many of which have disappeared beneath the tread of progress.

Genres: Nonfiction, History, Crafts, Cooking, Nature, How To

192 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1984

About the author

John Seymour was an idealist - he had a vision of a better world where people aren't alienated from their labours. As a young man, he travelled all over Africa and fought in Burma in World War II. Returning penniless to England, he lived in a trolley bus and on a Dutch sailing barge before settling on a five-acre smallholding in Suffolk to lead a self-sufficient life. He continued this lifestyle with his companion Angela Ashe on the banks of the River Barrow in County Wexford, Ireland. The two had built up the smallholding from scratch over 19 years. In his last years John, Angela and William Sutherland had been running courses in self-sufficiency from their home at Killowen, New Ross. The courses were taken by students from all over the world, who come to Killowen to learn about his lifestyle and philosophies at first hand.

He was the author of over 40 books, including the best-selling The Complete Book of Self-Sufficiency, and he had made numerous films and radio programmes. Most of his later writing and public campaigning had been devoted to country matters, self-sufficiency and the environment.

In the last 18 months, he was back on his beloved Pembrokeshire farm with his daughter Ann, telling stories to his grandchildren and writing rhyming poetry, with an acerbic wit that was his last weapon against what he saw as our destructive era.

Reviews

[Susan · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'd prefer to give this book 3.5 stars, rather than 4. Although I ended up thinking very highly of the author and his research, I spent the first third of this book thinking it would be better titled " Forgotten Household Doohickeys". Richly illustrated with detailed, pen-and-ink drawings of seven* different types of chamber pots, 5 spinning wheels, 9 candle-making tools, etc., this book is a visual treat, as well as an educational one. The chapters covering food and cookery seem weaker than the later chapters on cleaning, washing, and other household tasks, which lead to my initial disappointment. The author has done his research--drawing from the Foxfire oral-history tradition, he bases much of the information in the book on discussions with people in his neighborhood (a British village) who used to use these tools or perform these tasks. Although I was expecting to learn more practical knowledge (how to do these crafts in a modern context) from reading this, this book would be very useful for students, novelists, or other researchers.


* All numbers in this review are entirely made up.

[Julianna · Rating 4 out of 5]

First, let me say that I read the older version of this book (ISBN 0-394-55830-8, (c)1987). I agree with what other people have said about the emphasis on equipment, but there is a considerable amount of information about technique as well although I would never consider it a how-to reference.

It's clear throughout the book that Mr. Seymour had a lingering and pervasive melancholy about the inevitable march of progress and he often uses such colorful epithets such as "despicable," "horrendous," and "disgusting" to describe modern artifacts such as TV dinners and plastic bags. Entertaining as this affectation may sound, it can come off as a bit curmudgeonly.

However, this attitude is part of the book's charm. During his life, Mr. Seymour caught the tail end of this way of living, so he often regales the reader with anecdotes from his own experience (peppered liberally with his strong opinion, of course). Of particular note is the hilarious account of him and his comrade cleaning a stuck chimney while hung over (SPOILER ALERT: gasoline-saturated pyrotechnics ensue).

Another aspect of this book that I found enjoyable is the generous use of photography and illustrations to add richness and depth to the subject material. The edition I read contains over 1000 in under 200 pages. This book was basically a DK book before DK started doing its museum-in-book-form thing.

Mr. Seymour died in 2004 at the age of 90. A pity, because he seems like someone with whom you could have a really great conversation over a cup of tea (brewed with tea leaves, not a ghastly tea bag). One can only hope his heaven is a simple, rural one with a good housewife in it. That would make him happy.

[Inder · Rating 3 out of 5]

I love John Seymour's books on farming and self-sufficiency, but this one is more a history book than a helpful manual. I think it's mis-titled. It should be called Household Crafts of the 19th Century. The problem with the book as currently titled is that it really isn't about household "crafts." It's about the equipment that people used to use to do some of those household crafts. Almost of the equipment is from the 19th Century, too. How odd! Why should I romanticize a 19th century washing machine, when the only difference between it and the one I use now is the presence of electricity? Okay, it's interesting, but it's not actually a forgotten household craft. Anyway, if this had been titled more informatively, I probably would have given it at least four stars. But there's a definite disconnect here.

[Sara Judice · Rating 5 out of 5]

My most recent dive into the collection by J.S.... Found out about these books by chance in a library while browsing. The intriguing illustrations (no alliteration intended..) are what drew me into this read... that and the history of the wood burning stove... the daily tasks of maids and housewives...I love this era. So, naturally, the highly factual and romanticized writings in this book detailing the 1800's-early 1900's was definitely my jam. I should've read it by candlelight while finishing my embroidery pattern and petting my cat.

[Chris · Rating 3 out of 5]

The pictures and captions are good, very interesting and well documented. The body of the text though is hard to get past. The author writes with the suffocating, condescending sentimentality of an aristocrat pining for the bygone days when commoners knew their place and toiled under the hopeless enterprise of simply getting by. You imagine him as having the same bemused indifference of watching animals in a zoo. Despite his fawning over simpler times where people earned their minor comforts by honest toil, he makes it clear he never bothered himself to do any of it, referring time and again to servants and aides and his own priveleged, colonist upbringing. No thanks.

[Nikki Markle · Rating 3 out of 5]

Very interesting subject matter. Great illustrations. Author would probably tell you to get off his lawn.

[Aitzol · Rating 5 out of 5]

Terminado el 2011

[Juli Anna · Rating 3 out of 5]

Informative, but a bit bogged down by sentimentality.

[Bree · Rating 4 out of 5]

What a treasure! The illustrations & old photographs alone would get 5 stars, but I did find the text a bit of a slog at times. I did admire the detail, though. The author’s reminiscences were amusing & quaint. It was interesting to read the history from someone who had actually lived it- used the tools, cooked on the wood stoves, etc- that really brought the history to life for me.

[Sally · Rating 3 out of 5]

I have to second anther reviewers idea that this book is about forgotten household TOOLS, and not the crafts. It was a fascinating overview on what tools were used in everyday life a century ago, almost like a museum in a book. But there was not even any cursory description of crafts, per se. It's the everyday and mundane that gets lost as life and technology advances, so I'm glad the author took the time to document this facet of life.

[Clare · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book was an interesting look at many household chores of yesteryear and the tools and implements used for those tasks. The amount of work involved in keeping a home in good order was amazing and I certainly felt glad that I live in these times. However, there is also a sense of loss - loss of many of these old-time skills that few today can still do with the finesse and pride of not so long ago.

[raccoon reader · Rating 3 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book. I didn't care for the personalized writing as much as I did the pictures. This would be a great book for anyone interested in "how they used to do it." I definitely learned about some items and ways of doing things that I did not know about before. I think a lot of this type of knowledge does become "forgotten" and it's wonderful that Mr. Seymour has gone to the trouble of compiling it for us to enjoy.

[Jonele · Rating 3 out of 5]

At first I thought this book was going to teach me how to do things, but the author really just talked about how things were done – not step-by-step instructions – when he was younger. I really enjoyed the personal vignettes about his family and childhood, and of course I learned a lot about what it was like growing up in the early 1900s.

[Teresa · Rating 3 out of 5]

I picked up this book expecting to find a little more about textiles, sewing, embroidery and other crafts. There wasn't much but what there was, I found very interesting, historic and helpful. I had no intention of reading the book entirely, just the parts that interested me. I borrowed it from my local library.

[Lietta · Rating 4 out of 5]

From the point of view of someone who grew up in Europe, it was more intriguing to read not only the how it was done, but the perspective from a child growing up, seeing the results of how it was done.

[Dioscita · Rating 3 out of 5]

Every summer I get this weird urge to read books with stories from around the turn of the century/pioneering days. In addition to re-reading the "Little House" books, I've added this one to the mix. It's already a lot of fun!

[Beth · Rating 5 out of 5]

Hey Steam Punk Writers - Get this book and sit with it for hours until its imprinted on your brain! Knowing what was is EXTREMELY helpful in world building! A damn fine bit of everyday historical research. (found it in a used bookstore for a steal!)

[Sue · Rating 4 out of 5]

Didn't read every word, but gazed at every one of the beautiful drawings of the equipment that has made a house a home for the past few centuries. Also learned quite a bit about cauldron cooking and the practical beauty of the Aga stove.

[Clatters · Rating 4 out of 5]

I found the book to be nicely illustrated and fun to see all those forgotten ways of live in one cover.

[Apryl Anderson]

a charming book, and an entertaining read

[Megan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Immensely fascinating.

[Annette McIntyre · Rating 4 out of 5]

An absolutely fascinating book about what skills people (but especially women) needed to make a home.

[Ashley · Rating 2 out of 5]

lots of interesting information, but not exactly what I was looking for.

[David A. · Rating 3 out of 5]

I am afraid that this book was not at all what I expected it to be. I did not finish it.