THE LASSETER BLACKSMITHS – MATTHIAS IN PARTICULAR

Copyright Valerie Martin 2003

First published in Along the Furlong in January 2003

Nestled in the folds of the Downs are some very ancient and unspoilt villages, and fortunately Findon, where I live, is one of these. Church Hill broods over the dwellings like a mother hen crouching over her newly hatched chicks. The solid walls of the humble cottages and attendant barns are more often than not built of local flint.

From the very early days the village needed blacksmiths. The farmers required scythes and other implements. Their wives needed household utensils, including pot hangers, and fire bars. The squire and other local gentry ordered gates and rails to keep the lower classes at arm's length. Hinges were required for the great swinging wooden doors of the church, and there was always a constant demand for railings around the graves of loved ones.

The greatest boom time for the Findon blacksmiths was, without a doubt, the 17th and 18th centuries. Until this time they had been providing the weapons and tools with which the land had been tamed. Now, at last, they could devote their labours to the more peaceful and lucrative pursuits of providing the great ornamentations and artwork demanded by the landowners.

The name of Lasseter was one of the most well known in Findon in the 17th and 18th centuries. William Lasseter of Ashurst was the very first to appear in records in 1572 with his burial in October of that autumn. It seems the family may have migrated south from Ashurst and taken up roots in Findon. Thomas Lasseter was also interred at St. John the Baptist Church two months later in December.

By the 1660s the family had not looked back and was flourishing and becoming exceedingly prosperous. Below the landed gentry of Findon, the Lasseters became the most prominent villagers over the years, with many branches and sub branches of their kinsmen.

The most popular profession for the Lasseter menfolk was that of blacksmith and it became the trade of fathers to pass down the line. Lasseter brothers, uncles and nephews and sons could all be found undertaking the same trade at the same period.

There would have been enough work for all as Findon had to cater with the ever-increasing numbers of coach and riding horses, as well as the animals working in agriculture. There was a limit on how many horses one man could shoe in a working day. Over the years there were at least nine Lasseters taking up the profession of blacksmith.

I think old Matthias Lasseter and his children are of particular interest. Matthias owned substantial farming stock in the village in the 1700s and was obviously a man of high repute as well as substance and someone to be reckoned with. He was also a blacksmith, as was his brother, William. With a faint sagging of his shoulders he was able to look forward to an old age of comfort and esteem. The contents of Matthias' smithy in 1741 when he died were valued at £28. 18s. When he passed away it was discovered that he also had £167. 19s. owing to him —

"on the shop book".

This was in the way of unpaid debts and may suggest that as a man of means he had flourished in the capacity of a banker. Acting as a village financier, (a common enough enterprise among prosperous men with a head for business), he may have lent money to his less fortunate neighbours.

Matthias had ten children. Of his six sons, three went on to become blacksmiths. In his will, Matthias bequeathed £10 and a bed to James. The latter may appear to be a strange bequest, but this was not so in the eighteenth century and, no doubt, James was grateful to have the inheritance even if it had a coarse straw mattress.

Robert, Henry and Edward may not have been so fortunate and could have met with their father’s wrath at an earlier time. They may have been downcast and plunged into depression to learn that they were only to receive a shilling each in his will. On the other hand, it could be a debatable point that they may well have already been provided for. I could be doing Matthias an injustice and they may have received their legacies during his lifetime.

Then came Young Matthias and William. They were obviously well in with their father and gained an equal share of the goods and many tools lining his well-established blacksmith’s shop. Young Matthias also inherited —

"the bed whereon he now lies and all belonging to it".

He also received some interesting additional items worth mentioning. These were a silver spoon and also a tablecloth. Both items bore the unexplained initials —

"M.M" 

bringing an element of mystery to the inheritance.

Perhaps William had been his father's loyal apprentice because lucky William was heir to his father’s treasured smithy — and yes, he rested easy that night, he received a bed also.

Continue if you would like to read William Lasseter's Story.