Hi all
Another in my occasional series of 'Pipemen I have Known'.
When I was just a young nipper my dad's best friend was a blacksmith named Aaron. I do believe Aaron was his best man. My dad smoked cigarettes in those days but Aaron was a pipeman through and through. He was only a little guy - no more than 5 foot 6 or so. But he was easily the strongest man I have ever met - but what do you expect from a guy who bent and shaped iron for a living?
There were two things I remember especially: First, he smoked Falcons. In fact, he must have been among the first people in Northern Ireland to adopt them. But, as he would have said, he needed a pipe he could just grip in his jaws while he hammered and shaped the wrought iron fencing he was known for.
The other thing I remember is that he smoked Balkan Sobranie. I had never heard of it and in any case I was too young to smoke, or even to want to. But I do remember the distinctive smell of the Balkan tobacco, quite different from the St Bruno type tobaccos most people smoked in those days. I wonder if my own taste for Balkans comes from my young memories?
Aaron was a very quiet man - he never said much, and was always content with his own company and the company of the Airedale terriers he used to breed. A lovely man, and a grand ambassador for our noble art. He never married.
Over the years we lost touch, especially after my dad died. My sister told me though that when the 'troubles' kicked off in Northern Ireland in the early 1970s, he suddenly became much in demand as police stations, army barracks, etc all needed high quality security fencing and gates, and they needed them quickly. This was just the kind of thing an experienced blacksmith was expert in. According to my sister, Aaron became quite a wealthy man in his last years!
I remember Aaron fondly and do hope that heaven has a goodly supply of Balkan Sobranie!
Mike
Another in my occasional series of 'Pipemen I have Known'.
When I was just a young nipper my dad's best friend was a blacksmith named Aaron. I do believe Aaron was his best man. My dad smoked cigarettes in those days but Aaron was a pipeman through and through. He was only a little guy - no more than 5 foot 6 or so. But he was easily the strongest man I have ever met - but what do you expect from a guy who bent and shaped iron for a living?
There were two things I remember especially: First, he smoked Falcons. In fact, he must have been among the first people in Northern Ireland to adopt them. But, as he would have said, he needed a pipe he could just grip in his jaws while he hammered and shaped the wrought iron fencing he was known for.
The other thing I remember is that he smoked Balkan Sobranie. I had never heard of it and in any case I was too young to smoke, or even to want to. But I do remember the distinctive smell of the Balkan tobacco, quite different from the St Bruno type tobaccos most people smoked in those days. I wonder if my own taste for Balkans comes from my young memories?
Aaron was a very quiet man - he never said much, and was always content with his own company and the company of the Airedale terriers he used to breed. A lovely man, and a grand ambassador for our noble art. He never married.
Over the years we lost touch, especially after my dad died. My sister told me though that when the 'troubles' kicked off in Northern Ireland in the early 1970s, he suddenly became much in demand as police stations, army barracks, etc all needed high quality security fencing and gates, and they needed them quickly. This was just the kind of thing an experienced blacksmith was expert in. According to my sister, Aaron became quite a wealthy man in his last years!
I remember Aaron fondly and do hope that heaven has a goodly supply of Balkan Sobranie!
Mike
