Lorinery

The nineteenth century was a time of expansion for manufacturing in Walsall . Britain’s expanding overseas empire as well as her involvement in the Napoleonic Wars led to a demand for all types of lorinery products made in the town.

In the twentieth century saw a decline of the lorinery trade There was a brief resurgence of fortunes during the First World War owing to the need to keep the cavalry and horse-drawn artillery well supplied. However, after that, many firms diversified or turned over to making metal parts for motorcar bodies.

• Forging
• Casting
• Drop forging
• Electro-plating

Historically, the name “loriner” only applied to those who hand forged their products. However, casting, drop forging and electro-plating processes have almost entirely taken over from hand forging and “loriner” has now come to mean anyone who is engaged in the production of saddlers’ ironmongery.

Lorinery includes a wide variety of ironmongery including bits, buckles, stirrups, snaffles etc.

• Market issues: the decline in the use of horses for transport and working has led to decline in demand for lorinery
• Competition from overseas markets: British firms cannot compete with the low production costs of countries like South Korea, India and China. The majority of saddlers’ ironmongery is now therefore imported. The one exception to this has been saddle tree manufacturing and here the British makers have seen a boom. There are currently ten companies in Walsall making saddle trees, compared to three in 1985.

• The Worshipful Company of Loriners
• British Equestrian Trade Association

• Abbey England at Abbey Foundry, Walsall
• W Thacker

Saddle tree makers

• Ideal & WRS saddle company Ltd
• Lariot
• Albion Saddlemakers
• Vale Brothers
• Black Country Saddles
• Lightwood Saddle Company

• Worshipful Company of Loriners: https://www.loriner.co.uk/lorinery/lorinery-history