P r o u d o f o u r H e r i t a g e- E s t a b l i s h e d 1 9 4 6 -

Bill Mellor

Clay Plastering in Charing Cross Tube Station

This picture was taken inside Charing Cross underground station, which is decorated with beautiful floor to ceiling panels of old woodcuts showing medieval folks building houses. It shows people gathering coppice timber and building stone walls, but my eye was drawn to one that showed people preparing clay plasters.

A riddle is being used during this process......... a piece of history that has evolved over centuries.

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In 1946 Fred Turnock and Bill Mellor started a company called Hill and Sons.

Manufacturing wooden riddles and sieves, mainly for the railway industry where they were used to manually sieve the ballast for between the railway tracks. At that time Hill and Sons were one of many riddle makers throughout Britain.

Now they are the last remaining.....

Fred Turnock

For the following 20 years Fred and Bill employed upto eleven people manufacturing these traditional wooden implements, with several industries including foundries using them for sand sieving.

In the mid 1970's Fred’s son Mike Turnock joined the workforce, this was a role Mike continued in, until he started to plan for his retirement in 2005, when he was described by The Telegraph as ‘The last Riddle Maker’.

It wasn’t until 2010 that Mike found someone to continue this traditional craft and secure its future.

Mike Turnock

Back in 2009, Damien Bramhall read an article in the Buxton Advertiser about Mike Turnock (Fred Turnock’s son), who was struggling to find someone to continue the traditional craft of riddle and sieve making. Mike was ready to retire after more than 30 years of making traditional beechwood garden products and his firm Hill and Sons was the last remaining manufacturer.

If Mike couldn't find anyone to take over at Hill and Sons, the craft would disappear forever.

Remembering visits as a child to watch Mike and his father Fred make the riddles and sieves, Damien got in touch with Mike and after a number of meetings a deal was struck.

Damien took over at Hill and Sons in September 2010.

Damien quickly decided to look for his first employee and took on Jason Sollinger later that month. Since then Jason has become a partner in the business, a new sales agent has been recruited and the introduction of the new garden accessories range has been designed for launch in 2012.

Damien Bramhall (Left) & Jason Sollinger (Right)

A New Generation ANHISTORIC craft that looked set to be lost

forever, has been given a new lease

of life.The Buxton Advertiser

Sept 2010

“Gardenerscan’t get enough

of these horticultural

sieves”

The TelegraphJan 2005

“H

”

The GuardianNov 2009

undreds offirms were once turning out these

handsome beechwood and

wire mesh hoops

Our Garden Riddleand Sieve Range

1/8" Garden Sieve (Also available boxed)

18" diameter sieve with 1/8" galvanised wire mesh, used for creating a fine tilth.

1/4" Garden Sieve (Also available boxed)

18" diameter sieve with 1/4" galvanised wire mesh, used for sieving soil and ideal for gravel.

3/8" Garden Sieve (Also available boxed)

18" diameter sieve with 3/8" galvanised wire mesh, used for removing stone, twigs and other debris.

½" Garden Riddle (Also available boxed)

18" diameter riddle with ½" hand woven galvanised wire mesh, used for removing stone, twigs and other debris.

1/8" Potting Sieve (Also available boxed)

8" diameter potting sieve with 1/8" galvanised wire mesh, ideal for seed tray preparation in the greenhouse.

Our Garden Accessories Range

Launched in 2012, our garden accessories range is designed for the discerning gardener, someone who cares about quality and of course supports British manufacturing.

Garden Lines

This pair of garden lines have been designed by ourselves to help plant seeds, edge the lawn and mark out areas within the garden.

Now available in a range of heritage colours including Aqua, Lime Green, Orange, Pink, Red, blue and Natural jute twine.

Dibber

This unique dual use Dibber has been designed with a smaller diameter for potting seeds, and a larger diameter for when the transfer of seedlings takes place into the next pot size.

Reduced handling enables the seeds to have more chance of growing disease free.

Pot Tamper

Our dual use pot tamper is designed for firming and levelling compost, a perfect addition to the potting shed or greenhouse.

The smaller diameter is ideal for small seed pots, and the larger diameter for the larger pots or seed trays.

Modern Trug

Our modern trug is just as useful within the home as it is in the garden.

Oiled to enhance the grain and protect from the elements with food safe oil.

Used for gathering cut flowers, sticks, logs and vegetables or simply as a decorative centre piece.

Luxury Gardeners Gift BoxLaunched in June 2012 our luxury gardeners gift box has recently had an update. With a more simplified label design which is now printed on traditional laid paper.

Our luxury gardeners gift box has just got more luxurious.

The three essential items, dibber, pot tamper and pair of garden lines enclosed within the box, are all made bycrafts people. Many of the items have beautifulmarkings within the beech that make them evenmore desirable and unique.

As it says on the box “made in Britain for thediscerning gardener”.....the perfect gift.

Available with our heritage twine colours includingred, pink, lime green, blue, aqua, orange andnatural jute.

Heritagerange

Heritage Range of Potting Sieves

Our limited edition heritage range of potting sieves are hand made and painted in four heritage colours - All Blue, Victorian White, Vintage Blush, and Sage Green.

Manufactured using the same toolsand techniques for over 65 years,the addition of the painted trimwill brighten up the potting shedor greenhouse whilst remainingextremely practical to use.

Also now available as part ofthe potting shed gift bag, whichcombines the heritage rangepotting sieve, dibber and pottamper, beautifully presentedand labelled. Potting shed gift box is also available for internet based retailers.

Pr o u d o f o u r H e r i t a g e- E s t a b l i s h e d 1 9 4 6 -

Hill and Sons (NW) LtdUnit B

Ringstones Industrial EstateWhaley Bridge

High PeakSK23 7PD

Tel: 01663 732607Fax: 0161 386 8621

E: riddlesandsieves@gmail.comW:

Twitter: @thenextriddlerFacebook: facebook.com/hillandsonsPintrest: pintrest.com/hillandsons

www.riddles-sieves.co.uk