Foreword

Note

Originally a ‘Tinker’ was a traveling metal worker who went around the countryside repairing metal utensils and tools. The name Tinker is said to be derived from the sounds of the metal objects hanging from their packs lightly knocking together as they walked from village to village and town to town. This was due to them carrying all of their tools and many metal goods for sale as well as some items waiting for them to repair when they had the time to work on them, along with their cookware, clothes, blankets, and food. As they walked the metal objects would sway and knock against each other to make a small metallic ‘tink,’ and this is what gave them their name. This also made it possible for the people to hear them coming and to walk out to meet them at the roadside to arrange work for them or to buy new or repaired goods while also selling a few repairable metal objects that have broken and they can no longer use. The Tinker would later fix the items and sell them for a small profit. In later times some more prosperous tinkers used a small wagon or cart and some set up shops in the large towns and cities where the customers came to their shop.

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