The History Anorak

The History Anorak

Monday 15 May 2017

Crippled

This strange contraption is called a builder's or painter's cripple. It's a wooden structure designed to offer a platform for workers to stand on while repairing or decorating windows. This one was found in the cellar at Brodsworth Hall in South Yorkshire, an English Heritage property which is being conserved 'as found'.  There's an illustration of one in use in a painter's handbook from 1830.

I can find nothing about the word's etymology so I'm assuming it got its name because of what happened if a builder fell off one.

7 comments:

  1. Interesting thought on its etymology; I certainly wouldn't want to use one - what about stepping back to see how you're doing..?! Nice post, raised a smile.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Almost 3 years isn't too long to wait for a reply, is it? I don't know why it's called a Cripple for sure, but the studs that it's bearing it's weight upon are called Cripple Studs.

      Delete
  2. Is that painter painted on the wall? What a fun display idea.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Interesting!! I learned something today, thanks to you.

    ReplyDelete
  4. Very interesting historical fact. you also thought about etymology.. really why that tool called like that?

    have a happy sunday.. :)

    ReplyDelete
  5. Ha-ha! Oops! Hopefully they didn't have far to fall. Have never seen or heard of it before. You should see how they tie wood together here to make a platform when building anything. Definitely very scary!

    ReplyDelete

Why not add your two pennyworth?