The Process of Leather Tanning

[ The Process of Leather Tanning ] William Trueman

Contributors
Contributor Role
Compiler
Contributor Name
William Trueman
Contributor Role
Compiler
Contributor Name
John Trueman

Date: The manuscript is dated 1750, 1771-1772. | 1750/01/01 to 1772/12/31

Publication Format
Manuscript

Type
Miscellaneous

Ingredients
hides
lime
fat
water
soft water
bark
black birch bark
hemlock
hemlock bark

Places
New Brunswick
Yorkshire

Source: John and William Trueman Notebook
Institution: Mount Allison University Archives | Source Origin: Trueman Family Fonds, 1750-1931 | Sublocation: 1. Trueman family notebooks, account books, diaries, and artifacts. 1750, 1771-1883. | Reference: Accession 0102

Description

Instructions for tanning leather using dye made of birch and hemlock bark on folio 22r and 21v.  This recipe has been written in the book upside down, relative to the others. Image courtesy of Mount Allison University Archives.


Images
Transcription

The Proses of ^LeatherTanning

If the Hide is dry soke
them till quite soft & 
___________________
then put them in Lime
fatt and let the lime be quick
taking them out 2 times a day
to air till you find the hair 
com of, then scrape the flesh
of and put them in ^softwatter
scraping them every day
till the watter com clear from
them; then lay them in your
fatt with Bark and stirr
your fatt well & let them
be coverd with [ouse] Air
them at first puting in 
as conveinent if the [ous]
is weak add more Bark
it will require fresh bark
about once a month _____


when you lay them away 
mind to have Bark [between] 
till ready to take out ——
NB black birch bark and 
Hemlock Equall Quantity