Â鶹Éç

Here are some tools and also a photograph of a toolbox which were used by a pattern-maker. In 1911, Harold Hebditch began work as a pattern-maker at the foundry of Petters who made engines at the Nautilus works in Reckleford in Yeovil. Petters established Yeovil as an engineering centre, as at that time, they were producing 40 tons of castings each week and employed 500 people.
The task of the pattern-maker was to make wooden versions of the finished product - high class patterns for oil engines.This required not only joinery but carving skills. From the patterns a sand mould was made and then iron was poured into the that.
The wider significance of these tools is that they were used just at the point when Petters was expanding. In 1913 they built a foundry and workshops at West Henford, Yeovil which became known as Westlands.
In 1915, Petters started an aircraft business, making planes for WWI.