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.

Today the noun Tinker is more often used to refer to someone who does minor repairs to appliances or mechanical items, or someone who does a lot of fiddling with the inner workings of mechanical items or appliances to make them work better. Many modern tinkers also do a lot of minor building and furniture repairs similar to that of a very good general handyman. In some countries the word tinker is used to refer to any person living the gypsy lifestyle of constantly moving and camping while never stopping to live in a permanent house.

Note: Sorority means ‘a house or group of women’ and only that.

A truthful statement attributed as a quote to Winston Churchill and George Orwell, but not proven to have been said by either of them.

People sleep peacefully in their beds at night only because rough men stand ready to do violence on their behalf.

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