Father and daughter duo first for blacksmith award

Two generations of a family have been awarded prestigious blacksmith medals, making them the first ever father and daughter "smithies" to be honoured.

Melissa Cole from Wiltshire discovered just over month ago she was to receive a silver medal from the Worshipful Company of Blacksmiths which will be presented at a ceremony later this year.

Her father Hector Cole was awarded a gold medal in 2024, one of only seven in the guild's 700 year history.

"It's a great honour to have been assessed by my peers", said Melissa.

The guild has a history going back to 1299 and was granted the status of a company by Royal Charter in 1571.

Cole has been designing and crafting contemporary ironwork for 30 years in her forge at Pewsey Vale in Wiltshire.

Her clients have included A-list celebrities.

Three years ago she was commissioned by Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II to design and create a bird bath for Hampton Court Palace.

"The Queen was given the design sheet, explaining the history of the piece, and she said she would very much like to have it.," she said.

Melissa also teaches ironwork to young people, including people with special educational needs.

Her father, who was awarded an MBE in 2015 for services to heritage crafts, was overjoyed to hear of the recognition his daughter had received.

"Well, I think it's wonderful. She's been a bronze medallist for a few years," he said.

"It's a wonderful situation to have the two of us with those two medals, because they are not easy to get hold of."

Cole said he introduced Melissa and her sisters to his craft at a young age.

"When they were little, all three girls thought everybody's daddy had a forge and they would go in and hammer up tent pegs and barbecue pieces and pokers and things like that."

His daughter described him as a "legend".

"Anybody involved in the blacksmithing world always looks up to him," she added.

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