1260 Close Rolls Henry III (1934) XI. 324 Ricardus le Wytesmith.

1302 Patent Roll, 30 Edward I (P.R.O.: C 66/122) m. 15 Quia accepimusֵquod Johannes filius Johannis le Whytesmith captus & detentus in gaola predicta pro morte Johannis de Wytteney.

1580 J. Lyly Euphues & his Eng. (new ed.) f. 55^v Neither can this white Iuory Vulcan, make thee a white Smith, neither this faire woman Ieat, make thee a faire stone.

1606 T. Palmer Ess. Meanes to make Trauailes more Profitable ii. 92 The fift, to wit, Smitherie, is as variable as any of the former to bee sought into: whether for varietie of metals to bee wrought vpon, as Gold and Siluer-smithes, Copper-smiths, Brasiers, Tinkers, Pewterers, Founders, blacke and white smithes, & all such like.

1686 R. Plot Nat. Hist. Staffs. ix. 375 The Iron thus prepared, is used both by the White and Black-Smiths of this County, according as the condition of their wares require; it being forged by the former, into Sithes, Reaping-books, Axes, Hatchets, Bills, &c...which being ground at the blade-mills to a bright edg..they have given this sort of Artisans that make them, the name of White-Smiths.

a1708 T. Ward England's Reformation (1710) iii. 2 For not a White-Smith nor a Black, Could frame such things as he would lack.

1751 S. Whatley England's Gazetteer at Swindon (Stafford.) Blade-mills, where scythes, axes, reaping-hooks, &c. after being prepared for it by the white-smiths, are ground to a fine edge.

1826 W. Scott Provinc. Antiq. 104 He was a white-smith, and published various lucubrations under the title of the Tinclarian Doctor.

1861 C. Dickens Great Expectations II. viii.136 Life is made of ever so many partings welded together,..and one man's a blacksmith, and one's a whitesmith, and one's a goldsmith, and one's a coppersmith.

1886 G. M. Fenn Patience Wins xii. 140 I arn't a blacksmith, I'm a whitesmith, and work in steel.

1919 Boys' Life Nov. 42/1 The famous Bowie Knife was not invented by Colonel Bowie but was made by a whitesmith from Philadelphia for the doughty Colonel.

1998 Slavonic & East European Rev. 76 283 Most tinkers remained wanderers, repairing pots and pans, acting as odd-job men, and small-scale whitesmiths with their staple trade in rat and mouse-traps.

2012 Eastern Daily Press (Norwich) (Nexis) 5 Oct. An almost life-size skull fashioned out of silver..was taken into the North Walsham Market Place shop by a local sculptor and whitesmith.

1812 Weekly Reg. (Baltimore) 25 Jan. 390/2 Emery..is an article of the first consequence in the cotton and woolen manufacturies, and in white smithery.

1833 J. Holland Treat. Manuf. Metal II. vii. 204 These cheap wares [sc. fire-irons]..are ornamented with swells, raised by swaging with bosses, in the manner described in the article on whitesmithery.

1985 J. E. Tucker Women Nineteenth-Cent. Egypt 160 Boys could be taught a number of crafts, including..whitesmithery, shoemaking, printing, or bookbinding.

1801 Monthly Mag. Sept. 169/1 The following were adjudged to be the principal prizes, viz. of red, Mr. Bell's Alcock's King,..and of white, Mr. Warburton's Whitesmith.

1802 W. Forsyth Treat. Fruit-trees xii. 146 A List of the largest new Sorts shown in Lancashire last Summer (1800)... Woodward's White Smith.

1860 R. Hogg Fruit Man. 89 Whitesmith (Woodward's)... Skin white, and downy.

1900 Daily Express 24 July 5/6 The coster..at Covent Garden exchanging his sixpences for 28lb baskets of ‘White-smiths’ or common reds according to the prevailing taste of his ‘walk’.

1943 Ogden (Utah) Standard-Examiner 30 Apr. b6/4 In the latter class, which have the largest fruit.., the Whitesmith, Chataugua, and the Industry are the most popular.

2012 L. Reich Grow Fruit Naturally 126/1 My favorite gooseberries are some of the European varieties, such as 'Achilles' and 'Whitesmith'.