Old spokeshave

[bigdividers]

I have an old spokeshave that came into my possession over 20 years ago. Beyond that, i have no idea how old it is. Can anyone tell me anything about it? The photos show the only identifying marks on it.

I had no sooner posted this than I remembered two other old tools, so here they are too.
One is a huge screwdriver. The close view shows some info about it, including the UK Government arrow mark. What on earth is this brute for?
The other is at the opposite end of the scale. A tiny hammerhead. The eye tapers and, as the photo shows, round. What is such a small hammer for, and how is the shaft secured?

 

[tym]

Whatever it's for, the broad arrow suggests military issue, so you might want to search some British militaria fora too.

 

[Private Lugnutz]

tym is spot on. That is definitely a British Ministry of Defence broad arrow. EDIT: After reading closer, I see that you've already identified that for yourself.

 

[humber2]

Google spokeshave Wilson Wolverhampton and all be revealed.

 

[notlob]

The spokeshave appears to be very similar to a Stanley No. 151:

 

[pfaustus]

And that looks to be the head to a Warrington cabinet maker's hammer, not just an everyday cross peen. The little end is said to be used for tacks. Very British.

 

[Dave455]

The screwdriver is called a ‘London Pattern’. Relatively common, from the Victorian era right up till the 70’s. Usually decent tools, with a forged blade, and often a hollow ground tip.

Unlike a ‘Cabinet Makers’ screwdriver, which was primarily for wood screws, the ‘London Pattern’ were primarily an engineers tool! It’s purpose - doing up and undoing screws. I have a couple, with 3/8 and 7/16 tips, and have to say that if I get a really stubborn slotted screw, one of these will usually shift it!

JBH would have been the manufacturer. Not sure who they were, probably a sheffield firm, but I’ve seen the mark on other screwdrivers, from the war through to the 60’s. They were one of the contractors for the yellow handled ‘Post Office’ screwdrivers used in telecoms. 1951 would be the date of manufacture. The last number would be the part number.

That hammer pattern was once fairly common in the U.K, less so now. It might be a good deal older than you might think. The round eye and the shape of the pein suggest a 19th century tool to me, though it could be much newer. I would definitely restore it. With the right handle it will have superb balance and be a lovely tool for panel pins etc!

 

[bigdividers]

Thanks for the replies, folks.
Humber2: it wasn't till I posted the photo that I zoomed close enough to read and I see Wolverhampton clearly now. I should have done that first.
The screwdriver is the one that gets me, I imagine that, at its length, it was used to reach inside something. But what? I did some more searching and found a thumbnail of something very similar on a military forum, but no other info. The photo didn't even open full size.
The hammer could indeed be very old. It came from either my wife's grandfather or my uncle, I don't remember which. Either of them could have acquired it from someone of the previous generation.
I intend to restore all of these tools, and some others. Now I need to find out what the hammer's shaft should look like and how it stays in place. I think it might make a nice plane-hammer.