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Teacher note: A number of students contributed to these pages on Colonial times. Each contributed diffferent information or a different perspective. You may find that each article adds to your understanding and research base.
GO TO ARTICLE # 2
A
chandler is the craft person who makes it possible to see at night. The craftsperson
makes candles. There are two different types of chandlers. There is a wax chandler
and tallow chandler. Tallow is another name for animal fat. In Europe, the wax-chandlers
were expensive because they were placed on silver, wooden or pewter. Pound and
bundles of eight, ten or twelve candle, were sold. There are two different color
candles, dark yellow and white. The yellow ones gave off a nasty smell. Beeswax
was also used and was brighter then tallow. Spermaceti was very bright and was
used as a standard light measure for photometry. Michael Eugene Chevreul invented
a new substance called stearine, substance from fat. Stearine improved manufacture
of wicks possible.
There were many steps that had to be done to make a candle.
First, you had to go hunting to get an animal. Then, you had 
to
get the animal fat from the animal. After that you had to build a fire. Third,
you had to make the candlewicks. Then, you boil the water. After that, you cut
the tallow into smaller pieces and put it into the kedal. Place the kedal near
the fire. Then the boiling water melted the tallow. The wicks were then dipped
in the tallow. They were striped each time they were dipped so that it could
be even. The wicks were dipped many times until it would be the right size.
The string would then be cut to the right size and the bottom was cut so it
could stand straight. The candles then were packed into a box for the winter.
The house would then have to be cleaned.
The tools that had to be used to make a candle were a wicking board, candle rod, knives and rifles. The wicking board was a piece of wood used to cut the bottom of the candle. The candle rod was a stick that many wicks were placed on so that they could be dipped. Knives were used to cut the animal fat, wicks and the bottom of the candles.
Where most people did all this work was at their home. It wouldn't matter if you were in the countryside or town because they both needed light to work.
There were many things that this person had to know to make
candles. First, the person need o know how to hunt. They needed to know this
because they had to hunt to get the animal fat from animals. Then, they needed
to know how to cut thing with the knives. They needed to know that because they
needed to know how to cut the fat out of the animal. Also they need to know
how to make a fire. The fire was used to boil the water so that then you could
put it on the tallow. No the person didn't have to know more then the craft
to run the business because it wasn't a business it was just that people did
it at their own home. The person got the skill by their parents. Little kids
helped their parents dip the wicks and the boys helped the dad do all the other
work. So when the kids got older they knew the steps to make a candle. 
Many people depended on this craft. People depend on this craft because with out it you can see at nighttime. This craft is not needed to survive but also isn't a luxury. Candles were a necessity to people, even to poor people had them and made them. Every class of people used candles. The poor people used candles and the wealthy people did too but the poor people used a dark yellow candle and the rich had the white colored candles. This craft was necessary for the society because if they didn't have it then the town would shut down at nighttime. Also with the candles you could work at night and have parties and stuff like that.
What would be satisfying about this craft today is nothing because we have lights and so we don't need candles but there are some candles that have scent so smelling those candles might be satisfying. Also candles are used for birthdays. People might like doing this craft because they might like the way the candle lights. Factories might do this industry today. No, this craft is not useful today because we have lights and candle are just made for the scent.
This craft was first located in England. Yes the earliest settlers in Jamestown did it. No, the craft came with the first settlers. Yes certain type of resources were needed like animal fat. It came more popular as time went by because they found new substances to make the candles. Women, men, and children did the craft. The men did the hunting and cutting the fat. The women did the dipping, twisting the wicks and the stripping.
The
craft that I'm researching is chandler. Chandler is the making of candlesticks.
People in the colonial days, made candles and then they would sell them. There
were 3 types of candles. They were tallow candles, which were made from animal
fat. These candles were first made Ancient Egypt. Bayberry candles which are
candles made from boil bayberries. There were also spermaceti candles, which
are candles from whale sperm. These candles were used in the late 18th
century.
The steps to make candles are, you for need to gather your materials which are, boiled water, fire, candle wicks, animal fat and you need knifes. To fit start, you would need to gather a lot of water. Usually the men would do this step. Then you would have to make a fire to boil the water. They made a fire by rubbing to sticks together because they did not have any matches. You could also used a tinder box. The men made all this steps. The men also had to cut the animal fat using knifes. They cut then into small pieces so they could then melt the fat. The animal was used as the wax. You could also used animal fat. They used a wicking board to wrap the wicks so the wick could all be the same length. Then they would wrap the wicks on a candle rod so a lot of candles would be dip at the same time. After they finish melting the women would dip the wicks so they could make the candles. This was hard work the mom and the daughter would switch so they won't get tired. After this was done. The men could cut the extra wicks and the bottom of the candles so it could stand up straight. Then they would pack them up and sell them.
The
tools that they used were wicking boards to make all the wicks the same length.
They used candles rods so they could dip a lot of wicks at the same time. They
also needed animal fat. They used knifes to cut the wicks, the animal fat, and
to cut the candles. They would make the candles at their own houses.
To make this craft you would need to know some skills and farm animals. Some of those skills were to hunt, so you could get the animal fat. You would also need to know how to use a knife. The knives would used to cut the bottoms of the candles, the animal fat and the wicks. You would also need to make a fire, to melt the animal fat.
The society depended on this craft because for some people in was a job. Other people also depended on this craft because it produces light. This craft was not only useful for one type of class. Everyone needed this craft because they used it to see in the dark.
This craft would be satisfying today because some candles have scents. This craft person or me might like to do this craft because you would learn how to do a craft. Today this craft might be made in factories. Sometimes we still use this craft for scene, but today instead of candles we use the light bulb for light.
This craft was first located in Egypt. This craft came to the colonies before Williamsburg was important. Some types of energy were used to make this craft like fire to melt the animal fat. Candles were made different as time went on. Men and women did this craft. The men would do some steps and the women would do the other steps.
This site is created and maintained by Holly
Geddes.
Last updated on
March 15, 2003