Into Ironmongers, the exhibition, opened at Albert Drive Studios at 334 Albert Drive on Saturday 7 August. We welcomed over fifty guests who browsed amongst three rooms of photographs (well, four including the bathroom which, appropriately, had pictures of washers, plumbing joints and planks of wood) and shared their stories of ironmongers with each other.
Listening to people talk about their local ironmongers’ shops I’ve decided to replace the phrase ’traditional ironmongers’ with ‘community ironmongers’. I think this is a better description of the shops. It takes account of the way that they recognise and respond to the needs of their communities. It also dilutes the ‘nostalgia factor’. Nostalgia for ironmongers of the past is rich and valid but it only reflects part of their magic. Community ironmongers are poised to play an important contemporary role. They have stacks of knowledge that they are sharing with their customers. In many communities they are the only places where people can learn, in a friendly and familiar environment, how to make or to mend things.
And calling them community ironmongers also distinguishes them from the big out of town stores. These may sell hardware or ironmongery but, by their very nature, they can’t be as sensitive to the needs of the community.
All the pictures from the exhibition will be posted shortly on the website and mounted prints will be available to buy. The exhibition remains open every Saturday and Sunday throughout August from 10.00am till 4.00pm although on Saturday, 14 August, one of the rooms is being used for a life drawing class, so won’t be open. But there will always be tea and discussion of useful things.
