The Medieval Chandler: The Merchant Who Were in Charge of Candles.

The Medieval Chandler: The Merchant Who Were in Charge of Candles.

Today I want to continue finding out about medieval jobs, and I want to take a look at the medieval chandler. It is a job that many people may not recognise by name, but chandlers played a huge role in every part of medieval life. Without them, homes, churches, workshops, and castles would have been much darker.

The word chandler comes from the Old French word chandelier, which was linked to candle-making. In the early medieval period, once the sun went down, light was gone. There were no electric lights, street lamps, or easy ways to brighten a room. People relied heavily on their fires, oil lamps, and of course candles. This meant that anyone who could supply them provided something valuable.

The word chandler did not originally describe a candle maker or shopkeeper. In large medieval households, the chandler was at first the official responsible for managing the candles and other lighting. They oversaw the stores of wax, tallow, and oil, making sure that the household had enough. The name gradually became associated with the skilled workers and merchants who made and sold candles.

In the earlier medieval centuries, many households made candles at home when they could. Poorer families usually used rushlights, which were dried rush plants dipped in animal fat or grease. These were cheap but burned quickly, they also gave off unpleasant smells, and they produced a weak flickering light. Wealthier households demanded something better, and this created the growing demand for skilled chandlers.

During the middle medieval period  towns were expanding and trade was increasing, chandlers became more common. Their main job was making and selling candles, but their work could be much more than that. Some chandlers also sold soap, lamp oil, wax, and other household essentials.

There were generally two main types of chandlers. Tallow chandlers who worked with animal fat, usually from sheep or cattle. Tallow candles were cheaper and affordable for ordinary people, but they had drawbacks. They often smoked, melted unevenly, and could smell quite unpleasant. I don’t think working with tallow every day could have been pleasant either. The smell must have clung to the workers clothes, skin, and the workshops must have smelt awful.

Wax chandlers, on the other hand, worked with beeswax, a much more pleasant substance. Beeswax candles burned much cleaner, were brighter, and smelled much better. But they were also more expensive.

Making candles was skilled work but it was repetitive work. A chandler had to melt the fat or wax, prepare wicks, and carefully built up the layers by dipping or pouring. This process had to be repeated over and over until the candle was the right thickness. It required patience and precision. Too much heat could ruin the mixture, and poor-quality candles would burn badly which would damage a chandler’s reputation.

They often worked long hours, especially during winter when days were shorter and demand for candles increased. Religious festivals like Christmas or Easter also would have increased their orders for churches. A good chandler could build themselves a reliable business, especially in busy towns. Some even joined guilds. Guilds were important. They brought together workers from the same trade. They helped to set standards, kept prices fair and also made sure that the goods were made properly. Being part of a guild often businesses protection and also helped customers to trust their work. Joining a guild was often seen as a sign of success.

 A good medieval chandler was able to earn a pretty decent living.  In particular in busy towns where demand would have been high. Tallow chandlers earned a steady but modest income, but wax chandlers supplying churches, monasteries, or wealthy households could sometimes become quite prosperous. Although the work was hard and messy, their skill provided them with both stability and a better life for their families.

The medieval chandler is easy to overlook, but their work affected almost every part of life.

Have you ever considered just how important something as simple as a candle could be?

The Morrison Shelter: Britain’s Indoor Protection During the Second World War

The Morrison Shelter: Britain’s Indoor Protection During the Second World War

Today I want to continue finding out a little about what life was like on the Home Front during the Second World War. This time I want to look at the Morrison shelter. Most people have heard of the Anderson shelter, but less know about the Morrison shelter. It became a vital form of protection for thousands of families during the war.

By 1940, Britain was dealing with the Blitz. Night after night, the air raid went off across towns and cities. The constant threat of bombs made life so much more challenging.

Many families initially relied on the Anderson shelter for protection. These shelters were outside and did help to save many lives. But they were not always practical for everyone. Firstly not all families had gardens, especially people living in flats or crowded city housing. For elderly people, the sick, or parents with young children, going outside at night, in the rain, or when it was freezing cold was extremely difficult. Some people could not get to an outdoor shelter.

The government realised that people needed another option, one that could be used indoors. In 1941, a new type of shelter was introduced. It was named after the Home Secretary, Herbert Morrison. He played an important part in improving civil defence for people at home.

Unlike the Anderson shelter, the Morrison shelter was designed to stay inside. It was made from a strong steel frame with a solid metal top and mesh sides. It looked like a large metal table. It may not have looked comfortable but it was designed for practicality and survival.

The purpose of the shelter was not to protect people from a direct bomb hit, as very little could do that. But, it was designed to protect families if their house partially collapsed on them during an air raid. If the ceilings came down or walls gave way, the steel frame could help to prevent people inside from being crushed by falling rubble. It gave people a much better chance of survival.

The shelters were provided for free to lower-income families, others could buy them for around £7 , the same as an Anderson Shelter. Eventually, around half a million Morrison shelters were distributed across Britain. That shows just how important they became.

Some people used them like ordinary furniture, perhaps as a table with a cloth draped over the top. But at night, blankets, pillows, and mattresses would be put underneath, and entire families would climb inside together. A little like camping indoors, but far less fun.

Home is supposed to be where we feel safest, but during the war even your home could be dangerous. The Morrison shelter saved many lives during air raids. It gave families something important and that was hope. It could not entirely remove the danger, but it gave people a sense of protection.

Overall the Morrison shelter was seen as a success and it did help to save many lives during air raids. But sadly, some families did actually become trapped inside them under debris and had to wait to be rescued, which must have been terrifying. But being inside a Morrison shelter gave them a much better chance of survival than having no protection at all.

When the war ended, the shelters were no longer needed. Many were dismantled, sold for scrap, or even reused around the home. 

Can you imagine trying to sleep every night under a steel shelter,?

The Victorian Footman: The Smartly Dressed Men Who Represented Status and Wealth

The Victorian Footman: The Smartly Dressed Men Who Represented Status and Wealth

Today I want to continue our look into Victorian servants, this time I want to take a look at the Victorian footman. He became one of the most visible symbols of wealth and status in a large household. But although he may have appeared calm, he worked hard, followed strict rules, and had constant pressure.

The role of the footman actually began long before the Victorian era. Footmen first appeared in wealthy households during the 17th century. The original name came from servants who literally travelled on foot beside or behind their master’s carriage. Their job was to protect the carriage, carry any messages, open the doors, and help their employer during  journeys. It was a physically demanding job.

In earlier centuries, some footmen wore powdered hair or wigs and were told to remain clean-shaven in order to maintain an elegant appearance.

By the 18th century, grand country houses and formal domestic service became even more elaborate. The role of the footmen began to change. Footmen became indoor servants as well as outdoor aides. They became part of the organised servant hierarchy.

By the Victorian period, footmen had become really popular in many upper-class and aristocratic households. Having several footmen was seen as a sign of great wealth because they were considered luxury servants. Unlike the cooks, the maids, or the laundresses, footmen were more tied to appearance and social status. The more footmen a family had, the richer they appeared.

Most footmen were in their late teens or early twenties. Employers preferred them to be tall, strong, healthy, and well-presented. In many Victorian households, taller footmen could even be paid more. This feels strange to us today, but in Victorian society appearance was hugely influential.

A footman’s duties varied, he might answer the front door, announce visitors, carry luggage, clean silver, polish glassware, light fires, draw curtains, or help with serving meals. During formal dinners, footmen needed to move quietly and gracefully around the table, serving food and drinks without drawing attention to themselves.

This must have given them enormous pressure. Any small mistake could cause embarrassment to the family and punishment. Footmen were expected to stay calm, polite, and almost invisible, all while working under intense scrutiny.

 Footmen usually wore elaborate livery, often times decorated with buttons, braiding, or the family’s colours. They looked very impressive, but they were uncomfortable and restrictive.

Footmen were usually under the butler, the butler supervised the male servants and he expected discipline and professionalism.  A good footman could eventually become a senior footman, valet, or even the butler. These roles offered better wages and respect.

Life was not glamorous for them. The hours were long, often starting early in the morning and finishing late at night after any guests had left. There was very little privacy and they had to follow strict rules about behaviour.

The Victorian footman represents the contradictions of servant life. He looked elegant and respectable, but his life was built around service, obedience, and invisibility.

How do you think you could have survived a life as a Victorian Footman ?

The Anderson Shelter: Britain’s Backyard Protection During the Second World War

The Anderson Shelter: Britain’s Backyard Protection During the Second World War

Today I want to continue learning about what life was like on the British Home Front during the Second World War. I want to look at the Anderson shelter. The Anderson shelter became one of the most recognisable symbols of wartime Britain.

Before the war officially started, the British government was already worried that modern bombing would cause devastating destruction. People could still remember the First World War, but aircraft technology had advanced dramatically. Many experts believed that if war did come, large numbers of civilians could be killed in air raids. This fear influenced major preparations across the country.

In 1938, the government asked Sir John Anderson, who was responsible for air raid precautions, to help develop a shelter that could protect people at home. The result was the Anderson shelter, clearly named after him. It was designed to be simple and quick to build. But it also needed to be strong enough to help protect people from debris.

 

The shelter was made from corrugated steel sheets bolted together into a curved shape. It was partly buried in the ground, usually around four feet deep, the earth was piled on the top to help absorb any blast or shrapnel. Most were built in gardens or backyards. They were designed to hold about six people, but many families squeezed in more when needed.

From early 1939, shelters were distributed to households earning less than £250 a year for free, but others could buy one for £7. Having an Anderson shelter delivered must have made the threat of war feel very real. War was something that was being discussed in newspapers or on the radio. But this brought the fear right to their doorstep.

Building the shelter was not easy. Families had to dig the hole themselves, which must have been daunting as well as  exhausting, especially for older people or those without much help. It must have made them wonder. Why would they need something this strong unless something terrible was coming?

When war began on the 1st of September 1939 and the blackout started, and the shelters became all to familiar. People must have hoped they would never need them. But the bombing intensified, especially during the Blitz and many families were forced to spend countless nights in them.

The Anderson shelter was far from comfortable. They were cold, damp, dark, and smelled of wet mud. Rain sometimes got in, which left the walls wet and floors muddy. Winter must have been especially miserable. Families brought in blankets, candles, hot drinks, and sometimes mattresses to make things easier, but it did little to make people comfortable. Some people even decorated their shelters with curtains or pictures to make them a little more appealing.

Imagine being a parent trying to stay calm while bombs are falling. You might have been terrified, but you still had to reassure your children that everything would be alright. The emotional strain must have been enormous.

 Anderson shelters saved thousands of lives. Their curved steel design and earth covering gave surprisingly good protection against falling debris and nearby explosions. They gave families a fighting chance to survive the night.

 

Could you imagine having to spend night after night in one of those cramped shelters?

The Victorian “Spitboy”: One of the Dirtiest Jobs in a Grand House

The Victorian “Spitboy”: One of the Dirtiest Jobs in a Grand House

Today I want to continue to find out about Victorian jobs. This time I want to look at one of the most unpleasant and forgotten jobs of all… the Victorian spitboy. It is a job many people have never even heard of, but it was very real, and it shows us just how hard life could be for poor children in Victorian Britain.

The title spitboy was not usually an official servant title like butler or maid. It was more of a name used for a young servant boy whose job included cleaning and emptying spittoons. Many of these boys may officially have been hall boys or general servants.

The name “spitboy” sounds strange to us today, but the job was exactly what it sounds like. In wealthy households, gentlemen often chewed tobacco or spat frequently, especially in smoking rooms, clubs, taverns, and sometimes even inside their homes. Spittoons, which were metal or ceramic containers used for spitting into, were placed around rooms for this. This seems disgusting to us today, but it was a practical solution. But someone had to empty, clean, and maintain them. That unpleasant task often fell to the youngest and lowest servant, the spitboy.
Most spitboys were very young, sometimes only eight, nine, or ten years old. Many came from extremely poor families living in crowded industrial towns or city slums. Families who were struggling to survive sometimes had very  little choice but to send their children into service or some other form of work as early as possible. For some parents, even a tiny wage, a meal, or a bed for their child could mean the difference between coping and starving.

A spitboy’s day, like many of the other servants  usually started very early. He would go into the smoking rooms, dining rooms, hallways, and all the servant areas collecting spittoons. These could be filled with saliva, tobacco juice, ash, and sometimes even cigar ends. The smell must have been horrendous. He then had to empty them, scrub them thoroughly, and return them spotless before guests or family members noticed.

But cleaning spittoons wasn't usually his only duty. Like many of the other lower servants, he would have also been needed to run errands, carry coal, sweep floors, clean boots, fetch water, and help the older servants with whatever they needed. He sat right at the bottom of the servant hierarchy. This meant he usually received the hardest, dirtiest, and least respected tasks.

The job must have been so unpleasant. Not just the job itself but also his treatment. Victorian society valued class, and children like spitboys were constantly reminded of their place. Wealthy families would have often barely notice them at all. Some may have treated them in a kind way, but to others he was invisible. Imagine being a child, surrounded by luxury and wealth every day, but knowing you could never belong in that world.

The work also carried health risks. Victorian understanding of hygiene and disease was improving, but it was far from modern standards. The constant exposure to tobacco, dirty containers, dust, and poor air quality mustn’t have been good for  children. Many servant children were already suffering from exhaustion, poor nutrition, and long hours.

Thankfully, attitudes toward hygiene was changing and indoor spitting became less acceptable and the role became obsolete. Better sanitation, changing social habits, and laws that protected children helped to bring an end to jobs like this. That is something to be grateful for.

I think the Victorian spitboy is a reminder that behind the elegance was a harsh reality for many working-class children.

Did you know about the role of the spitboy, and do you think the lowest Victorian servants are remembered enough?

Dame Katharine Jones: A Life of Courage, Leadership, and Service

Dame Katharine Jones: A Life of Courage, Leadership, and Service

Today I want to tell a little bit about Dame Katharine Jones. She was a remarkable British military nurse who served from 1917 until around 1944.

Katharine Henrietta Jones was born on the 3rd of February 1888 in Berhampore, Bengal, British India, while it was under British rule. She came to Britain and trained as a nurse at St Bartholomew’s Hospital in London, often called Barts. It is one of Britain’s oldest and most prestigious teaching hospitals.

During the First World War, she joined Queen Alexandra’s Imperial Military Nursing Service (QAIMNS) in 1917. She would have cared for soldiers with devastating wounds, trauma, and illness.

She served during the Arab Revolt in Palestine, where she earned a Mention in Despatches.

In 1937, she re-joined QAIMNS, and by 1938 she had become Principal Matron at the War Office. When the Second World War started in 1939, she helped to organise more than 1,000 military nurses to support the British Expeditionary Force in France. During the retreat to Dunkirk in 1940, she helped to ensure the safe return of the nurses to Britain.

On the 23rd of July 1940, she became Matron-in-Chief of QAIMNS, leading military nursing for most of the war. Her leadership helped to support nurses serving all across Europe, Africa, and Asia.

She received the Dame Commander of the Order of the British Empire (DBE) and the Royal Red Cross with Bar, both recognising her exceptional nursing and service.

She died on the 29th of December 1967, aged 79.

 

 

The Medieval Coachman: The Man Who Was Trusted to Carry People, Goods, and News Across the Country.

The Medieval Coachman: The Man Who Was Trusted to Carry People, Goods, and News Across the Country.

Today I want to continue our look into medieval jobs. This time I want to take a closer look at the medieval coachman. A coachman was responsible for driving people, goods, messages, and sometimes very valuable cargo from place to place.

 

The word coachman became more common later in history. Earlier in the medieval period, men doing similar work were usually called carters, wagoners, or cart drivers. Even though the names changed, the job was still very important.

 

In medieval times, travel was, as you can imagine, a lot slower and far more difficult than it is today. Roads were usually just muddy tracks. They had deep ruts, stones, and puddles. In winter they were almost impossible to use. Heavy rain would often turn them into thick mud. A coachman needed skill, patience, and endurance.

Coachmen and cart drivers handled wagons, carts, and carriages, all of which were pulled by horses or oxen. Some of them worked for wealthy nobles, merchants or bishops but some even worked for royalty. Others were hired to transport goods between towns and villages.

A coachman needed to be able to care for horses. He would have had to ensure that they were healthy enough to make the long journeys. Horses were valuable and expensive, so it was important to look after them.

Many coachmen had to start working before the sun had come up. They would have to  load the cargo, check the wheels on the carts and prepare the animals before they could set off. They had to remain alert at all times. One wrong move on a road could cause a serious accident.

The dangers on the road were very real. Bandits and thieves did target travellers carrying money or valuable goods. A coachman could suddenly find himself faced with armed robbers. When there was bad weather it created even bigger problems. Thick fog, snow, or heavy rain could make it difficult to see, which made it even more dangerous. If the wheels broke or an axle got damaged it could leave them stuck or stranded for hours.

For the coachman who worked for noble families, there must have been extra pressure. He could be responsible for the safety of some very important people. If a lord, lady, or a wealthy merchant got injured whilst he was driving there could be consequences. Good coachmen built up a reputation and could become highly valued.

Wages varied depending on who they worked for and how good they were at the job. A trusted coachman that was working for a noble or wealthy merchant could earn more than a general coachman, often with food and lodging included. This was usually better than the wages of many unskilled workers, though the long hours and hard work meant it was well earned.

 

Does the job of the medieval coachman sound harder than you expected?