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Forgotten canal side business and trade


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1 hour ago, Jen-in-Wellies said:

 Purple Ore, Spelter Dross, Basic Slag, Coke Dust and Waste Acid were all euphemisms

Was "basic slag" a euphemism for a type of person often found near the canal at King's Cross?

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13 hours ago, Derek R. said:

This Pechenard came from France and I fitted in my shed in Herts. Sadly when we moved North it stayed there.370477145_Pech03(Medium).JPG.ab1d83e3cc76e9ca66681f746cc770b3.JPG

 

You still come across stoves of this sort (and old Godins of similar epoch) at French vide greniers at modest prices (well you did when events like car boot sales were allowed). We have one in immaculate condition we don't use, but it's too difficult to bring back to the UK where it might be more appreciated.

 

Tam

13 hours ago, Derek R. said:

 

 

 

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19 hours ago, Athy said:

Thank you for taking the trouble to post such a detailed explanation which, being based on first-hand knowledge, is all the more valuable. Oh, and I do like "scutcher", though I may have difficulty working it into a conversation.

Both the cotton and woollen waste had machines called devils, which did the primary work of breaking up the waste. The first photo shows the delivery end of a cotton devil, which had eight cylinders in a line. The woollen devil was more like a carding engine, though much stronger, with steel teeth around the cylinder, rather than the card wire seen in the photo of a cotton condenser card. The sliver coming off the card was rubbed between two wide leather belts to make a number of rovings which could then be fitted to a condenser mule where it was converted to yarn. There were several other preparatory machines used for breaking up and reforming the cotton or wool to ensure that a uniform roving could be created and prevent slubs, thicker sections of yarn.

1986 Helmshore 158.jpg

1986 Helmshore 164.jpg

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Alongside the canal in Mytholmroyd there was a building occupied by a firm called "Blenders and Slitherers". I had no idea what they did, and when they ceased trading, I remember the local paper had a short article about what was going to happen to the site, that seemed to take delight in the fact that most of their readers would have no clue what a blender or slitherer was.

In the end the building was demolished and new housing built on the site.

http://www.penninehorizons.org/items/show/5834

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8 minutes ago, David Mack said:

Alongside the canal in Mytholmroyd there was a building occupied by a firm called "Blenders and Slitherers". I had no idea what they did, and when they ceased trading, I remember the local paper had a short article about what was going to happen to the site, that seemed to take delight in the fact that most of their readers would have no clue what a blender or slitherer was.

 

I can find only the definition "one who slithers!, so perhaps they were a firm of estate agents.

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1 hour ago, Athy said:

I can find only the definition "one who slithers!, so perhaps they were a firm of estate agents.

It it a factory which produces sliver, which was the material produced when you blended textile raw materials. So they blended the raw materials and then combed the result to make a sliver. 'Its a sliver' is not what a scouser says when asked what the bird is at the top of the buildings at Pier Head, nor is the question 'what's saliver?'.

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7 minutes ago, Pluto said:

It it a factory which produces sliver, which was the material produced when you blended textile raw materials. So they blended the raw materials and then combed the result to make a sliver. 'Its a sliver' is not what a scouser says when asked what the bird is at the top of the buildings at Pier Head, nor is the question 'what's saliver?'.

I noted the use of "sliver|" but assumed it to mean a thin slice or strip. I've most often heard it used to refer to a slim portion of fruit pie.

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8 hours ago, Derek R. said:

The Bridge looks good - and lit! I hate to see them used as drinks cabinets.

Decent pot stand too.

It has to earn its keep,  it's kept lit more or less permanently this time of the year. The only heating in the cottage is that and an open style range in the front room,  and if someone tells you old houses are warmer because of thick walls don't believe a word of it!

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6 hours ago, Athy said:

All these marvellous jargon words - slub, roving - which would have been in common use in the North until perhaps 50 years ago, but which few people now would understand.

There's a rather fine pub in Huddersfield called The Slubbers Arms. Gets a bit crowded before and after Town games.

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4 hours ago, noddyboater said:

It has to earn its keep,  it's kept lit more or less permanently this time of the year. The only heating in the cottage is that and an open style range in the front room,  and if someone tells you old houses are warmer because of thick walls don't believe a word of it!

Absolutely right!

I once lived in a cottage buil in 1800 with thick rubble filled cavity walls.

Lovely and cool in summer,but

ABSOLUTELY PERISHING in winter.?

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A sliver of something from my childhood was a very thin slice, maybe of beef or pork from the butchers bacon slicer.

Could be a thin piece of metal for packing something out as well. Always interesting to hear regional variations - thanks Pluto.

 

How about slab line?

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56 minutes ago, Athy said:

Did you pronounce it to rhyme with "liver" (the meat) or "skiver"? We (Derbyshire family) used the latter.

The textile word tends to be pronounced as the latter, with the former used for a small portion.

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21 hours ago, Athy said:

All these marvellous jargon words - slub, roving - which would have been in common use in the North until perhaps 50 years ago, but which few people now would understand.

Aquired an old book on converting lifeboats,and came across terms I have not heard before.

Hogging,garboard,rose on,joggling,lag bolts,keelson,shaft log,eye sweet shear and other old boatbuilding terms.

A very interesting read.

 

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1 hour ago, BuckbyLocks said:

But that is also the way I would use the words. A sliver (as in liver, etc) is a very thin small piece and a sliver (as in another similar word, skiver - leather workers term I believe rather than a lazy person) in the textile trades.

Interesting. Where were you originally from?

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6 hours ago, Derek R. said:

A sliver of something from my childhood was a very thin slice, maybe of beef or pork from the butchers bacon slicer.

Could be a thin piece of metal for packing something out as well. Always interesting to hear regional variations - thanks Pluto.

 

How about slab line?

I use to get slivers in my fingers as a kid, more widely known as splinters

plus all the ones listed above

4 hours ago, Mad Harold said:

Aquired an old book on converting lifeboats,and came across terms I have not heard before.

Hogging,garboard,rose on,joggling,lag bolts,keelson,shaft log,eye sweet shear and other old boatbuilding terms.

A very interesting read.

 

And still in common use today in wooden sailing boat circles  

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