Architectural Ironmongers - Revival Of Ironmongery

About Ironmongerydoor knobs, door knockers, letter plates, locks,
Once a specific reference to the iron goodshinges, hooks, cabinet fittings and window
produced for domestic rather than industrial use, "furniture.
ironmongery" has come to mean a much widerThere has even been renewed use of
range of useful household items – today“blacksmith nails” – the four-sided
produced in all sorts of materials, including thehand-made rosehead nails that have so much
original iron, various other metals and plastics. Themore character than the modern equivalent. This
word is still widely used in Great Britain, as is theis typical of a trend that has seen greater
term “ ironmonger’s” for a supplier ofappreciation of designs that have stood the test
such goods. The equivalents of ironmongery andof time, that has allowed hand-forged
ironmonger’s in the USA are generallyironmongery to find a much wider application than
“hardware” and “hardware store”.use in property restoration – although the
practice of incorporating traditional ironmongery
By the Middle Ages, skilled metalworkers wereinto contemporary housing has been helped by
highly prized for their ability to create a widethoroughly modern techniques like galvanising and
range of things, from weaponry right throughpowder coating to inhibit that old enemy of iron
tools and implements to more humble domestic– rust.
items, and the local blacksmith remained theMercer and Sons - Fifth Generation Ironmongers
principal source of ironmongery until the IndustrialMercer & Sons Ltd was established in 1840 and
Revolution saw the introduction of massthe present Managing Director is the fifth
production from the late 18th Century. This camegeneration of the family to continue in successful
to a climax in the second half of the 19thtrading.
century, when Victorian ironmongery offered aThe business was started by Thomas Turner
treasurehouse of appealing metalwork, withMercer who opened the ironmongers shop on
elaborate manufacturers’ catalogues offeringNorthgate from where his sons eventually took
literally thousands of wonderful objects to meetover and the company became known for a while
each and every need, almost all of which soughtas Mercer Brothers. Our first lorry which replaced
to combine practicality with pleasing design.the horse and trap was purchased in 1949!
The second half of the 20th century saw theMercer & Sons expanded into its Steel
steady decline of ironmongers’ shops.stockholders division in 1967 with the purchase of
Although every small town in Britain used to havethe Pump Street Mill Warehouses from where our
at least one, their fate has mirrored that of manysuccessful trade department has traded ever
traditional emporia. The number of ironmongerssince.
has fallen dramatically with the advent of DIYOur custom built Trade Centre services collections
superstores that offer a complete range ofby our customers and our Warehouse team send
ironmongery and associated products under oneout telephone, fax & internet orders via our fleet
roof, and more recently the arrival ofof vehicles to Lancashire, Cumbria, Greater
comprehensive mail order catalogues and internetManchester, Merseyside & Cheshire.
suppliers.Our specialist experienced internal Sales Team can
Revival of Ironmongeryadvise and competitively quote on not just all our
However, there has been a simultaneous revival invast range but will source any product that you
the fortunes of old-style hand-forgedmay require. Our years of experience in building
ironmongery, with strong interest in the authenticup our supplier contacts mean we rarely are
restoration of period homes leading to demandunsuccessful in sourcing a products at a realistic
for items such as traditional iron door handles,price and lead time.