A YORK blacksmith has been appointed Prime Warden of the Worshipful Company of Blacksmiths in London.

Don Barker, who runs a forge in Elvington, is the first working smith for several generations to be elected to the position of Prime Warden.

Mr Barker, who was born in Scarborough and previously lived in Wigginton, said the role will involve recruiting new members to the company, raising money for its good causes, and being the face of the company.

He said: “Blacksmiths still have a very good connection with the craft and give bursaries to students and get involved with the training of blacksmiths.”

But as the craft has died out in London, and financial services have come in, the previous Prime Wardens have been financiers with family heritage in the trade.

Mr Barker’s forge in Elvington employs six people and has carried out many prestigious commissions including restoration and new work at Westminster Abbey.

He created two new Gothic-style lanterns which now grace the State Entrance to the Abbey and restored the railings among other works. He also produced new flambeau-style lighting for the OBE Chapel at St Paul’s Cathedral and four bronze lanterns for the new monument to the Queen Mother on The Mall in London.

Mr Barker, who in 2009 featured in the BBC2 series Mastercrafts, started off his career as an engineer, but decided to follow his father’s footsteps into blacksmithing. He said: “My grandfather was the village blacksmith in Hutton Buscel following a continuous family tradition of blacksmithing that can be traced back over 300 years.

“The urge to bash hot metal is in my blood.”

He said his year in office involved attending many appointments in London and he and his wife, Barbara, avoid the traffic by cruising their narrow boat from Doncaster to London.