School: Tagoat (roll number 5990)

On this page

1. Our Local Tannery

   

   Share Share Post

   

   You are not logged in, but you are welcome to contribute a transcription anonymously. In this case, your IP address will be stored in the interest of quality control.

   The local industries of long ago were spinning, weaving, starch making, candle-making and tanning. The tanning industry was carried on about fifty years ago in the townland of Cottage, about an Irish mile from this school, where Mr. Doyle now resides. The yard in front of the kitchen door there is still known as the tan yard. It was owned by people named Sinnott. The hides were obtained from the local farmers when animals were killed. At that time farmers used to kill their own cattle for meat. In preparing them for the making of leather two deep holes were dug in the ground in the yard, which is now opposite the kitchen door. In one of these holes water was put and the hides were steeped in it for some months. Lime was put in the other one into which the hides were put after taking them out of the water. As each one was put in lime was put on it. They were then put through other processes to make them into leather. Twenty and thirty men were employed there and their wages were sixpence a day. When the leather was manufactured it

   (continues on next page)

   Save Cancel

   Transcription guide »

   By clicking the save button you agree that your contribution will be available under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License and that a link to dúchas.ie is sufficient as attribution.

   Topics

   1. activities
      1. economic activities
         1. trades and crafts (~4,680)
            1. tanning (~61)

   Language

   English

   Collector

   Peggy Doyle

   Gender

   Female

   Address

   Drimagh, Co. Wexford

   Informant

   Peter Ellard

   Gender

   Male

   Address

   Ballycowan, Co. Wexford