Bolney

WSCC mobile library: will be calling at Drovers, The Street, on Fridays April 13 and 27, between 9.30am - 10.15am. All welcome to use this service.

BOLNEY WI: At our March meeting we welcomed Barbara Ehlers, a silversmith from Ditchling Common whose subject, unsurprisingly was Silver Making and Hallmarking.

Barbara gave us the history and development of silver from mines in Asia Minor in 4000 BC through origins of Sterling Silver coined in England in the 13th century to today’s production in the USA, Mexico, Peru, Canada, Russia and Australia. It is no longer mined in the UK.

We learned something of the techniques (and dangers) involved in jewelry making and the work of the Assay offices who basically approve and put a ‘seal’ on the silversmith’s work. In the UK there are four Assay offices: London, Edinburgh, Sheffield and Birmingham.

And we were delighted to see a selection of Barbara’s work from cufflinks to pendants, ear-rings and bracelets. We were also given helpful tips on cleaning the family heirlooms from toothpaste and tomato ketchup to hot water and tin foil.

At our next meeting on 12th April we are looking forward to welcoming Martin Burgess to tell us about the secret life of bees.