1) Can be a dealer in iron wares or, more rurally, perhaps more closely associated with forgemen.
The occupation is on record in York from the late thirteenth century: 1298 Johannes de Wistow, irenmangor
1402 Robert Driffeld, irenmanger and it refers there almost certainly to a dealer in iron wares. Other ironmongers operated in more rural areas where there were numerous smithies: 1434 John Tomson, irnemanger Ossett
1511 Robert Marsche of Bargh, yrynmangger and these men may actually have worked more closely with the forgemen. For example, the John Tomson of Ossett mentioned above was described as irenmaker when he died in 1436. In Sheffield, Nicholas Doughtyman was an iremonger in 1586 and others who shared that occupation include: 1623 Richard Shemeld of Sheffield, ironmonger and 1654 Richard Ibbotson of Sheffeld ironmonger. Between 1698 and 1704, seven men were named as ironmongers in the Sheffield parish register. The term appears to have been interchangeable at times with ‘hardwareman’ or ‘chapman’, although the evidence suggests that the ironmongers operated from shop premises and did not spend time travelling around the country.