Manual Collection

Workshop of a carpenter and joiner
The workshop of a carpenter and joiner, with various activities taking place

Poster produced for British Railways (BR), showing a railway worker manually operating the signals in the Greenwood signal box, New Barnet, London

Various shoemaking tools
Various tools used by a shoemaker or cobbler, including scissors, pliers, hammers, a skewer, a ruler and strong thread

Coal miners in shaft lift, South Wales
Several coal miners with blackened faces stand in the shaft lift at the end of their shift in a coal mine in South Wales

Coal mine in England, 1850s
Removing coal in the Bradley mine, Staffordshire, England, 1850s. Hand-colored woodcut of a 19th century illustration

Workshop of a cooper (barrel maker)
The workshop of a cooper or barrel maker, with examples of the finished product out in the street

A China Clay Pit, Leswidden, Harold Harvey (1874-1941)
Oil on canvas, Newlyn School, 1920 or 1924. This painting shows the harsh, labour-intensive working conditions of a china clay pit

The Clay Pit, Harold Harvey (1874-1941)
Oil on canvas, Newlyn School, 1923. View of Leswidden China Clay Works near St Just. This painting shows the harsh, labour-intensive working conditions of a china clay pit

Girl playing Nurse
A young girl in her nurses outfit, tends to her teddys injuries with copious bandaging, whilst a pet cat watches on. She seems to be getting her medical knowledge from the First Aid manual in her

Croydon Fire Brigade, South Norwood station
The firefighters of the Croydon Fire Brigade serving at South Norwood station, South Norwood High Street, together with their horse drawn manual fire engine

Miner riding drams, Tirpentwys Colliery, South Wales
A miner riding a journey of drams (coal trucks) at Tirpentwys Colliery near Pontypool in South Wales. Date: 1910

Farmers Ploughing a field on Lealholm Hall Farm, Whitby. c. 1889 (photo)
3091121 Farmers Ploughing a field on Lealholm Hall Farm, Whitby. c.1889 (photo) by Sutcliffe, Frank Meadow (1853-1941); Private Collection; (add.info)

Yost Light Running Typewriter No. 15
A Yost Light Running Typewriter No.15. Date: 1910

GWR navvies, Treffgarne, Pembrokeshire, South Wales
A group of ten Great Western Railway navvies working on the Treffgarne railway at Nant Y Coy, Pembrokeshire, Dyfed, South Wales

Welsh women road builders, South Wales
A group of twenty Welsh women road builders in Pembrokeshire, Dyfed, South Wales, holding their spades. They built the road to Hook in 1903-4 to facilitate transport to the colliery

Logging in Wisconsin, 1800s
Hauling logs with a horse-drawn sledge in northern Wisconsin, 1880s. Hand-colored woodcut of a 19th-century illustration

Man at work, Dinorwig Slate Quarry, North Wales
A man at work, 150 feet up on the main face of Dinorwig (or Dinorwic) Slate Quarry, near Llanberis, North Wales

Leather making and tannery tools
Various tools used in tannery and leather making, including a knife, pincers and a hook

Acton Volunteer Fire Brigade with appliances
District Council of Acton Volunteer Fire Brigade with appliances typical of those used at the time: a horse drawn steamer, horse drawn manual pump, horse drawn escape, hand wheeled escape

George Beaumont with manual fire engine, Pinner
George Beaumont, Chief Officer of the Pinner Voluntary Fire Brigade, with a manual fire engine which was kept at Waxwell Lane, Pinner, having previously been housed at The Hall

Volunteer Fire Brigade with appliances typical of those used at the time: a horse drawn steamer, horse drawn manual pump, horse drawn escape, hand wheeled escape, and a hose cart

GLC-LFB - Dual purpose pump fire engine
The GLC-LFB was created on 1 April 1965. A series of photos was commissioned of each type of fire engine, either within or absorbed into the enlarged London Fire Brigade

Riverboats at Shreveport, Louisiana, 1870s
Stevedores loading barrels at the Red River levee at Shreveport, Louisiana, 1870s. Hand-colored woodcut of a 19th-century illustration

Apprentice carpenter
Young carpenters apprentice planing a block of wood, 1800s. Hand-colored woodcut of a 19th-century illustration

Miners and owner, Hook Colliery, Pembrokeshire, South Wales
A group of men at Hook Colliery, near Haverfordwest, Pembrokeshire, South Wales. They are the current shift of miners plus the owner, standing near a wooden headframe connected to a mineshaft

Threshing Wheat
Men threshing wheat at a farm near Henley-on-Thames, Oxfordshire, England, using a Surrells patent compound steam traction engine (mounted on springs)

Range of bakery tools and ingredients
A range of bakery tools and ingredients, including a pair of scales, a bucket, a sieve, mixing paddles and a sack of flour

Workshop of a saddler and upholsterer
The workshop of a saddler and upholsterer, with finished items including trunks, bags and a chair (top right)

Typewriter Keys / Fortune
Typewriter keys on the cover of a magazine

French Palmistry Manual
L ART DE LIRE DANS LES LIGNES DE LA MAIN ( The art of reading the lines of the hand ) - a popular French manual

Fire-Fighting Motorcycle
Merryweathers fire-fighting motor-cycle and sidecar unit of 1910, with manual fire- pump mounted on a platform

Manual Fire-Engine / 1885
Factory Pattern Manual Fire- engine constructed by Merryweathers for the use of factory fire brigade

Holding hands
UNITED STATES - CIRCA 1960s: Mans hand holding childs hand. (Photo by H. Armstrong Roberts/Retrofile/Getty Images)

West Derby Union, Liverpool - Belmont Road workhouse
The Belmont Road workhouse opened in 1890 by Liverpools West Derby Union. It catered primarily for able-bodied inmates and vagrants, providing daily out-relief in return for manual labour. Date: 1925

Welsh miner in coal mine pushing truck
A Welsh miner, stripped to the waist, pushing a truck in a coal mine

Magician pulling rabbit out of hat
UNITED STATES - CIRCA 1930s: Hands of magician performing magic trick, pulling rabbit out of top hat. (Photo by H. Armstrong Roberts/Retrofile/Getty Images)

West Ham Fire Brigade
A manual horse drawn fire pump belonging to West Ham Fire Brigade with a Victorian fire crew

View outside a leather factory, Bermondsey, south London
View outside Neckinger Mills leather factory, Bermondsey, south London. Date: 1842

Compositor at Works
An American compositor at work in the days of manual type setting. Date: 1887

Garden roller

Ford Shelby Mustang GT500

Great Crane at Woolwich Arsenal, south east London
The Great Crane at the Arsenal, Woolwich, south east London, used to lift sections of large guns

Women brickmakers in the Black Country
Women brickmakers at work in the Black Country -- south Staffordshire and north Worcestershire

YMCA Poster, Lend Your Strength, WW1
YMCA Poster, design by Adrian Gil-Spear, Lend Your Strength to the Red Triangle, Help the Y Help the Fighters Fight, United War Work Campaign, 11 to 18 November, First World War. circa 1918

The bottom sawyer in a saw pit cutting a timber log into pla
The bottom sawyer in a saw pit cuts a timber log into planks. He is showered by sawdust Date: 1989

Loading sugar cane in a field, Cuba. Date: circa 1910

Village Blacksmith
Village blacksmith at work at his forge. circa 1905

Advert for Daisy vacuum cleaner 1912
Daisy vacuum cleaner, manual vacuum cleaner using suction to remove dirt. 1912

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"Embracing the Art of Manual Labor: A Glimpse into the Past" Step back in time with this captivating poster produced for British Railways (BR), showcasing a railway worker skillfully operating machinery manually. Transport yourself to an era where craftsmanship and dedication were paramount. Explore the world of shoemaking through various tools meticulously displayed, each one representing the expertise required to create footwear that stood the test of time. Witness coal miners descending into shaft lifts in South Wales, their unwavering determination shining through as they delve deep into darkness to fuel a nation's progress. Journey further into history as you witness a bustling coal mine in England during the 1850s, where men toiled tirelessly amidst challenging conditions. Harold Harvey's masterpiece "The Clay Pit" transports you to another realm entirely, capturing both beauty and hardship within its brushstrokes. Experience life underground as miners ride drams at Tirpentwys Colliery in South Wales, their bravery echoing through generations. Enter the workshop of a skilled cooper, witnessing firsthand how barrels were meticulously crafted by hand - an art form rarely seen today. Marvel at Leswidden's China Clay Pit depicted by Harold Harvey; it unveils nature's hidden treasures unearthed by dedicated workers. Welsh women road builders stand proudly on South Wales' rugged terrain - strong pillars supporting progress and equality. Innocence takes center stage as we glimpse a young girl playing nurse, embodying compassion and care from an early age. Step inside the workshop of a carpenter and joiner; marvel at their precision and attention to detail that brought dreams to life. Finally, pay homage to GWR navvies working diligently in Treffgarne, Pembrokeshire - unsung heroes who shaped landscapes while leaving indelible marks upon history itself. These manual endeavors remind us of our shared heritage; they inspire awe for those who paved our way forward with sweat, skill, and unwavering determination.