Ever since the beginning of time man has made tools. At first they were very primitive ones of stone; later bronze was used, and then men learned to work with iron. But however much tools were improved, man still had to use his hands. Nails had to be hammered in, wood carved, and stone chipped. Every table, every pair of shoes and every yard of cloth was made by hand and trained labour.

From: Britain in the Modern World, by E.N. Nesh and A.M. Newth