While working, the craftsmen sat on three-legged stools, designed to sit firm and steady on any uneven surface. They usually wore long blue smocks, made from hard wearing material and round hats on their heads called ‘Mullers’ to keep their hair free from jet dust and muck.
The tools of a jet worker might be considered very crude to what is used by a jeweller today, but in the 19th century every tool was a craftsman’s treasured possession, often passed down from father to son and cobbled together from everyday objects.
There were over eight different processes in the manufacturing of Victorian jet jewellery. Each method was usually assigned to a different worker.
