114: Mr. Lovett o?i the 



perhaps any other spot where such things are found. 1 consider 

 it probable that, in the ages of bronze and early iron which 

 followed, the chief business of great flint centres would shift to 

 such places as iron and copper were to be found in, although it 

 was undoubtedly the fact that flint was used long after the 

 discovery of these metals. But Brandon being a place of great 

 importance, was in all probability a busy centre all this time, 

 for it is likely that upon the discovery of metals the old plan of 

 producing fire by friction would be speedily followed by a 

 primitive form of the flint and steel, which from that time has 

 actually continued to the present day, for I was informed that 

 the flint " diggers" still light their pipes iu this way, and they 

 are not the only ones who do so. 



When the discovery of gunpowder revolutionised the fighting 

 method of humanity, flint was again called into urgent request, 

 and it is curious to consider that such an advance in the know- 

 ledge of the iron age and its science should have been accom- 

 panied by such a marked resuscitation of the use of stone as an 

 implement. From that date to this Brandon has not ceased to 

 be the leading centre of the gun-flint trade, though from all 

 accounts it seems at last to be dying out. Few seem to be aware 

 that gun-flints are still in use, and they would be still more 

 astonished to know that they are exported annually to Central 

 Africa to the extent of several millions. There must be some 

 reason for the popularity of Brandon as a source of flint, and it 

 probably exists in the fact that the quality of this material in 

 that place surpasses what is found elsewhere. 



Being desirous of examining for myself a manufacture so in: 

 teresting, and so conconuected with a lost industry, I made a visit 

 to the locality, and owing to the kindness of Mr. Snare, one of the 

 leading manufacturers of Brandon, I was able in a very short 

 time to examine the whole of the history of a gun-flint, from the 

 digging of the rough material to the packing up of the finished gun- 

 flints for export, together with several points connected with the 

 lousiness and financial side of the question. In the notes which 

 I have drawn up I have embodied my own observations and ideas 

 with all the information I was able to obtain from the workmen, 

 but time prevents my entering very minutely into many in- 

 teresting details connected with this curious manufacture. 



We will first consider the source from whence the flint is 

 derived for working into gun-flints. From time immemorial 

 Brandon has been the chief seat of manufacture of flint weapons 

 or implements of one sort or another, and the reason appears to 

 be that flint of finer quality and size can be obtained there. 

 Certain it is that iu the locality are numerous pits excavated by 

 prehistoric man for a similar purpose, viz., to obtain flint for his 

 weapons. These old pits are known as " Grimes' Graves," and 



