Peter Munsten and family

Jim McDougall · 1st July 2025, 10:05 PM

LOL! Keith.......yeah but yours IS briefer.

I see what you mean about Hounslow only being part of London to outsiders, regional distinctions were typically only important to people living in the actual environment.
Yes, I was 'County' as Orange County is known, which does not specify what actual city you lived in or were from.

When reaching the county line to LA County, that demarcation was usually the turnaround point for county guys. ....things were a bit unhealthy past that point.....I think of Columbus' maps, end of the earth etc.

If I recall, on Hounslow, was that not in the same manner a sort of remoter, industrial area troubled by highwaymen and ner do well types? It seems like one of the notorious highwaymen of the times was known there, though perhaps later period.

Regarding the import of German workers, it was not just Greenwich, later Hounslow and other countries, France, Russia, Sweden, Netherlands that had Solingen workers.

Triarii · 3rd July 2025, 01:06 PM

Urban Spaceman - I know Stone was involved in getting the Hounslow works up and running at scale, though it was Heyden who got the German smiths over from Rotterdam. Was the Hounslow site purely chosen because of the existing mills and the convenience of Northumberland's 'Cutt river'?

Jim - good point on names. When Charles' army stopped at Turnham Green to face Essex's army and the London Trained Bands, those outside London referred to it as 'London', though it was 6 or 7 miles outside. Brentford, oddly, was identified as such when there was a small battle there.

urbanspaceman · 3rd July 2025, 09:25 PM

Good question Triari. General knowledge appears to indicate the suitability of the (originally 4,000 acre) location as an army camp-ground, certainly dating back to Roman occupation times.
The Cut river was a man-made canal built to supply the Duke of Northumberland's Syon House. In 1639 Jenkes attempted to gain permission from the Duke (the original letter is in Alnwick Castle) to build a mill using the Cut for power. NB: Jenkes (who was working for Stone at the time) also mentions secret machines and typically promises to teach us Limeys the craft.
In regard to Stone: his story is told by both parties quite differently. The only sticking point (oops) is just how much smuggling of blades was involved... it may not have been anything. If Oley could supply 21,000 blades pa, and he was the only bladesmith, then I am certain Stone could have matched that quite comfortably; the Hounslow marked blades that included the Passau Wolf may easily have been marked by the local Germans... who were more than entitled to so do. A Munsten blade is a Munsten blade - regardless of where it was forged, save perhaps for the quality of the ore.

urbanspaceman · 3rd July 2025, 09:39 PM

James II (present, as indicated by the viewing platform) is marshaling his troops to intimidate Parliament. There are various countrys' flags adding insult to injury.
Attachment 245985
Attachment 245986
Attachment 245987

3rd July 2025, 09:25 PM	#3
urbanspaceman Member Join Date: Sep 2017 Location: Tyneside. North-East England Posts: 707	The Heath Good question Triari. General knowledge appears to indicate the suitability of the (originally 4,000 acre) location as an army camp-ground, certainly dating back to Roman occupation times. The Cut river was a man-made canal built to supply the Duke of Northumberland's Syon House. In 1639 Jenkes attempted to gain permission from the Duke (the original letter is in Alnwick Castle) to build a mill using the Cut for power. NB: Jenkes (who was working for Stone at the time) also mentions secret machines and typically promises to teach us Limeys the craft. In regard to Stone: his story is told by both parties quite differently. The only sticking point (oops) is just how much smuggling of blades was involved... it may not have been anything. If Oley could supply 21,000 blades pa, and he was the only bladesmith, then I am certain Stone could have matched that quite comfortably; the Hounslow marked blades that included the Passau Wolf may easily have been marked by the local Germans... who were more than entitled to so do. A Munsten blade is a Munsten blade - regardless of where it was forged, save perhaps for the quality of the ore. Last edited by urbanspaceman; 4th July 2025 at 12:25 PM.

3rd July 2025, 09:39 PM	#4
urbanspaceman Member Join Date: Sep 2017 Location: Tyneside. North-East England Posts: 707	The Grand Review James II (present, as indicated by the viewing platform) is marshaling his troops to intimidate Parliament. There are various countrys' flags adding insult to injury. Attachment 245985 Attachment 245986 Attachment 245987 Last edited by Ian; 9th July 2025 at 10:37 AM.

1st July 2025, 10:05 PM	#1
Jim McDougall Arms Historian Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Route 66 Posts: 10,510	LOL! Keith.......yeah but yours IS briefer. I see what you mean about Hounslow only being part of London to outsiders, regional distinctions were typically only important to people living in the actual environment. Yes, I was 'County' as Orange County is known, which does not specify what actual city you lived in or were from. When reaching the county line to LA County, that demarcation was usually the turnaround point for county guys. ....things were a bit unhealthy past that point.....I think of Columbus' maps, end of the earth etc. If I recall, on Hounslow, was that not in the same manner a sort of remoter, industrial area troubled by highwaymen and ner do well types? It seems like one of the notorious highwaymen of the times was known there, though perhaps later period. Regarding the import of German workers, it was not just Greenwich, later Hounslow and other countries, France, Russia, Sweden, Netherlands that had Solingen workers.

3rd July 2025, 01:06 PM	#2
Triarii Member Join Date: Oct 2021 Location: Bristol Posts: 142	Urban Spaceman - I know Stone was involved in getting the Hounslow works up and running at scale, though it was Heyden who got the German smiths over from Rotterdam. Was the Hounslow site purely chosen because of the existing mills and the convenience of Northumberland's 'Cutt river'? Jim - good point on names. When Charles' army stopped at Turnham Green to face Essex's army and the London Trained Bands, those outside London referred to it as 'London', though it was 6 or 7 miles outside. Brentford, oddly, was identified as such when there was a small battle there.