969
Robson Bros. Blacksmith
Main
Collection SummaryRobson Bros. Blacksmiths
1911-1924
reconstructionDescriptionHenry (Harry) Robson was 36 years old when he and his brothers Bill and Thomas started business as ‘Robson Bros. Blacksmiths’ in Smithfield in 1911. The Robson family originated from County Durham, England and emigrated to Australia in 1894. Their business operated on the north-eastern corner of Smithfield Road and Liverpool Road, Smithfield (now The Horsley Drive and Cumberland Highway).
In 1899, Harry Robson married Elsie (or Edith) Hatch in Smithfield and they had four children: Wallace, Laurie, Ernest, and Edith. In 1915 Harry’s younger brother, Thomas left to serve in World War I. Harry found a new partner for the business, changing the name to Robson and Hill in 1918.
However, after returning to Australia, Thomas died from his injuries in March 1919.
At the same time, Harry’s wife Elsie, was suffering from Tuberculosis, and despite moving the family to Mittagong for her health, she also died in 1919. Harry then returned to Smithfield, probably about 1920. The business changed name again to Robson & Davies in 1921 and by 1925 the Smithfield business had closed, since Robson & Davies had set up another blacksmith shop at 76 Church Street, Parramatta. In 1926 Harry moved to Bowral and married Maggie Bingham, and they moved to Picton where he opened another blacksmith shop. He was aged 90 when he died at Picton in 1964.
Blacksmiths were common in the Fairfield district in the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. With the numerous farms in the area, blacksmiths found plenty of work producing ironwork for wagons, sulkies, carts, coaches, carriages, drays, wheels, and ploughs. Blacksmiths were also kept busy making horseshoes, yokes, neck bows and other parts for working animals. In addition to Robson Bros, blacksmiths in the Smithfield area included Peter Morandini (wheelwright), Jim O’Donnell, Jim Dick, Toddy Ashe, Bob Lockyer, and Jack Stone. Fairfield blacksmiths included (Karl) Charlie Konemann, Bill Bradford, Jack Hawkes, Dave Wilson and Lock Munro.
The anvil on display in the reconstructed Robson Bros. Blacksmiths was originally used by Jim O’Donnell, the last blacksmith in Smithfield, whose shop was originally next door to the Cricketer’s Arms Hotel on Liverpool Road, Smithfield. Many of the tools and the tongs rack were donated by local farrier and blacksmith, Tom Buckley, who learnt the trade from Jim O’Donnell. Jim made horseshoes for Jack Downey, and for George Smee and Slender and Kelly’s bakeries, whose bread delivery carts were pulled by horses.
While Tom Buckley was attending Smithfield Public School, he often helped Jim O’Donnell collect horses for shoeing, and drive and blow the forge and fit the horseshoes. Tom Buckley recalled that the price for shoeing a horse in the 1930s was 6/ for a carthorse or saddle horse, 10/ for a draught horse, and 2/6 for slippers. Other tools in the shop were originally used at the Railway works at Chullora. The forge was originally owned by Hughes Bros, coopers and barrel manufacturers, Cabramatta, and was acquired by Tom Buckley and used at his home business for many years.
This fully-operating blacksmith’s shop, with its large collection of tools, gives a dramatic view of this traditional trade. Since its construction, volunteer blacksmiths have produced ironwork for the Museum’s tip dray and bread carts, bullock yokes, draw bars, neck bows, fire pokers and shovels, crowbars, meat hooks, picks, door knockers, and horseshoes. School children and group visitors are entertained with demonstrations at the forge, and at other times the sounds of the blacksmith can be heard, hammering, shoeing a horse and stoking up the fire with the bellows.
1911-1924
reconstructionDescriptionHenry (Harry) Robson was 36 years old when he and his brothers Bill and Thomas started business as ‘Robson Bros. Blacksmiths’ in Smithfield in 1911. The Robson family originated from County Durham, England and emigrated to Australia in 1894. Their business operated on the north-eastern corner of Smithfield Road and Liverpool Road, Smithfield (now The Horsley Drive and Cumberland Highway).
In 1899, Harry Robson married Elsie (or Edith) Hatch in Smithfield and they had four children: Wallace, Laurie, Ernest, and Edith. In 1915 Harry’s younger brother, Thomas left to serve in World War I. Harry found a new partner for the business, changing the name to Robson and Hill in 1918.
However, after returning to Australia, Thomas died from his injuries in March 1919.
At the same time, Harry’s wife Elsie, was suffering from Tuberculosis, and despite moving the family to Mittagong for her health, she also died in 1919. Harry then returned to Smithfield, probably about 1920. The business changed name again to Robson & Davies in 1921 and by 1925 the Smithfield business had closed, since Robson & Davies had set up another blacksmith shop at 76 Church Street, Parramatta. In 1926 Harry moved to Bowral and married Maggie Bingham, and they moved to Picton where he opened another blacksmith shop. He was aged 90 when he died at Picton in 1964.
Blacksmiths were common in the Fairfield district in the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. With the numerous farms in the area, blacksmiths found plenty of work producing ironwork for wagons, sulkies, carts, coaches, carriages, drays, wheels, and ploughs. Blacksmiths were also kept busy making horseshoes, yokes, neck bows and other parts for working animals. In addition to Robson Bros, blacksmiths in the Smithfield area included Peter Morandini (wheelwright), Jim O’Donnell, Jim Dick, Toddy Ashe, Bob Lockyer, and Jack Stone. Fairfield blacksmiths included (Karl) Charlie Konemann, Bill Bradford, Jack Hawkes, Dave Wilson and Lock Munro.
The anvil on display in the reconstructed Robson Bros. Blacksmiths was originally used by Jim O’Donnell, the last blacksmith in Smithfield, whose shop was originally next door to the Cricketer’s Arms Hotel on Liverpool Road, Smithfield. Many of the tools and the tongs rack were donated by local farrier and blacksmith, Tom Buckley, who learnt the trade from Jim O’Donnell. Jim made horseshoes for Jack Downey, and for George Smee and Slender and Kelly’s bakeries, whose bread delivery carts were pulled by horses.
While Tom Buckley was attending Smithfield Public School, he often helped Jim O’Donnell collect horses for shoeing, and drive and blow the forge and fit the horseshoes. Tom Buckley recalled that the price for shoeing a horse in the 1930s was 6/ for a carthorse or saddle horse, 10/ for a draught horse, and 2/6 for slippers. Other tools in the shop were originally used at the Railway works at Chullora. The forge was originally owned by Hughes Bros, coopers and barrel manufacturers, Cabramatta, and was acquired by Tom Buckley and used at his home business for many years.
This fully-operating blacksmith’s shop, with its large collection of tools, gives a dramatic view of this traditional trade. Since its construction, volunteer blacksmiths have produced ironwork for the Museum’s tip dray and bread carts, bullock yokes, draw bars, neck bows, fire pokers and shovels, crowbars, meat hooks, picks, door knockers, and horseshoes. School children and group visitors are entertained with demonstrations at the forge, and at other times the sounds of the blacksmith can be heard, hammering, shoeing a horse and stoking up the fire with the bellows.
Connections
SuburbSmithfield CollectionVintage Village
Robson Bros. Blacksmith. Fairfield City Heritage Collection, accessed 13/02/2026, https://heritagecollection.fairfieldcity.nsw.gov.au/nodes/view/969