Genealogy Forum UK

Tanner

Apparently in Victorian times this job would involve standing all day in a barn full of rotting flesh, dog poo and chicken dung, then tanning the conversion of cattle and sheep hides into leather.
The smell of rotting animal tissue, enlivened by the aroma of old, warmed-up dog and chicken faeces, would be stored in a foetid pool to de-lime the hides and wouldn't be changed for months just to get that lovely bacteria-infused mixture going.

I wonder what their social life was like, if any at all?

I was going to have a pudding but dont think I will bother now!



that is so interesting.... really!

Wot about the one that used to have to stand in a vat of urine to do something to the fabric cant remember now what it was...... ugh!!

Northern Lass wrote:Wot about the one that used to have to stand in a vat of urine to do something to the fabric cant remember now what it was...... ugh!!

Yes NL, I remember reading something about that, I think it was to do with a 'textile dyer'

LEECH COLLECTOR
medieval job

Bet this job sucked!!
People were employed to go and get the leeches . They had to go wading thru the reed beds and letting the parasites latch onto their legs then put them in jars.then gave them to the docs

Child Chimney Sweep
How sad to think that boys as young as 5 were apprenticed as Chimney Sweeps in Victorian times. They were encouraged to climb really narrow chimneys by having lighted straw held beneath their feet or by having pins stuck in them!
Many ended up with twisted spines and kneecaps, deformed ankles, eye inflammations and respiratory illnesses.