The Forgotten Art of Tallowmaking: Uncovering the History of a Medieval Occupation

Tallowmaker was an old occupation in the UK, dating back to the medieval period. A tallowmaker was someone who made and sold tallow, which is a type of animal fat used for making candles, soap, and other products. The term "tallow" comes from the Old English word "talu", meaning "fat".

Tallowmakers were responsible for rendering down animal fat into tallow, which they would then sell to manufacturers of candles, soaps, and other products. They would typically work in small workshops or shops, using traditional methods such as boiling and straining the fat to produce high-quality tallow.

The occupation of tallowmaker was relatively common in the UK until the late 19th century, when the use of tallow began to decline with the introduction of new technologies and the development of synthetic alternatives. Today, the term "tallowmaker" is largely obsolete, but it remains an interesting piece of history and a reminder of the important role that animal fat played in everyday life in the past.