Sidebotham's Trap Works, between the Chapel and the Canal, was moved to the museum from Wednesfield, near Wolverhampton, between 1982 and 1985 and is an example of a small factory in which animal traps were made. Wednesfield was a major centre for the manufacture of such traps and they were exported to many parts of the world. The stencils hanging from the roof were used to mark the packing cases and show the names of ports in countries such as Africa and South America.
The building is shorter than the original factory, but all the necessary machines have been installed from the Wednesfield works to enable traps to be made. The stamping, pressing and punching machines at the office end of the building are driven by lineshafting from a single-cylinder gas engine of 1906, built by Tangye's of Smethwick. The forge hearth was used to make the springs which operated the traps and the parts were assembled on the benches, using the hand-operated fly presses, before being painted or 'blacked' in tanks by the canalside wall and packed for delivery.
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| Reference: | 116 |
| Keywords: | 1980s Stencils Africa South America Lion Animal Forge Presses Springs Iron MCOL BCLM |
| Archive Ref: | Museum Guide Book 2001 |
| Updated: | 11/9/2001 14:29:50 |