Hooks by Hutchinsons of Kendal.
Hook making is a kind of by-product of the needle industry. Hutchinson was a Kendal needle maker
and started making hooks in 1745. Rival centers of hook manufacture were Kendal, Reddich
and Limerick (Ireland). In 1830 the Hutchinson of that time introduced his 'rational' scale
for the measurement of hooks from 000 (small) to 15 (large). Hutchinson ceased business
before World War II. One of my friends remembers visiting the works to buy one hook for a
halfpenny and being treated with grave courtesy by the proprietor as if he was buying thousands.
Most of the hooks were not eyed but either straight or tapered shanked to be whipped on to
gut. The one sample of eyed hook has a slightly clumsy ball eye and not a tapered eye.
The small hooks look rather heavy duty but in fact are made of fine wire. A result of
larger than life sized pictures!
Large hooks.
Small hooks.
