Tuesday, 31 January 2012
Tonbridge Daily Snippet
Two Tonbridge Tanneries were sited east & downwind from the population to minimise the foul smell of soaking skins in vats of a tannin-rich solution sometimes made from the bark of oak trees. The process of manufacturing raw animal hides into durable leather had its drawbacks, such as the strong smell.
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I think there was a Tannery or Abattoire in the Botany, (behind Bon Marche) and also, in or near Vale Road was The Baa Baa Co. (not sure of the spelling!)I visited there with my school class (Cage Green about 1954)They made products from sheep's fleece and wool. We were taught how to card, spin, and weave the wool, and even had an afternoon walking round a field of sheep collecting tufts of wool caught on the barbed wire fence, would Health and Safety allow that today!!! After the visit the company gave each of us a multi-coloured fleece duster on a stick. I thought it was really beautiful and couldn't get home fast enough to give it to my mum, at that time it was a luxury item we couldn't afford, or would even think of buying being totally un-necessary, but it had pride of place in our cleaning cupboard for many years.
ReplyDeleteThankyou for the really interesting comment. What a fanstastic childhood memory of Tonbridge. More please!!!!!!!!!!
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