Drysalter
Drysalters were dealers in a range of chemical products, including glue, varnish, dye and colourings. They might supply salt or chemicals for preserving food and sometimes also sold pickles, dried meat or related items. The name drysalter or dry-salter was in use in the United Kingdom by the early 18th century[1] when some drysalters concentrated on ingredients for producing dyes, and it was still current in the first part of the 20th century.
Background
Drysaltery is closely linked to the occupation of salter which in the
In 1726,
Being a drysalter might be combined with manufacturing – paint, for example – or with trading as a chemist/druggist or ironmonger/hardware merchant.[2]
In contrast, a wet-salter could refer to a fish curer or to someone tanning leather by wet salting hides.[citation needed]
See also
References
- ^ "drysalter", Oxford English dictionary
- ^ "The Scotsman". Retrieved 2022-10-23 – via British Newspaper Archive.
Further reading
- Daniel Defoe, The Complete English Tradesman, Chapter IV (London 1726)
- The Salters' Company Archived 2012-12-03 at the Wayback Machine
External links
- John Lewis, wholesale drysalter, importer of glues, gelatines, goldleaf etc., 1889
- Drysalter's Shop in the 1930s
- ISBN 978-0-22409359-0.