Fellmonger

A Fellmonger is someone who removes hair from animal hides in preparation for tanning.The name is derived from the Old English ‘fell’ meaning skins and ‘monger’ meaning dealer. Fellmongery is one of the oldest professions in the world and since ancient times, man has used the skins of animals to clothe himself, and for making domestic articles. Today however, Fellmongery has been superseded by machines that now perform the work formerly done by man.

The process of fellmongering had to be done quickly after the animal was slaughtered to prevent the hides from decaying before tanning could begin. First they are trimmed of all unwanted pieces like Legs,Neck and tail then soaked in water to allow the skin tissues to distend. Next, a solution Sodium Sulphide is applied to the skin side of the fleece.The Sodium Sulphide then soaks through the skin and destroys the collegen (follicle) of the wool root so that the fellmonger could then separate the wool from the skins. The wool was then washed and dried. The skins are then soaked in a stronger soltuion of Sodium sulphide for 21 hours to remove small clumps of wool missed by the puller and to break down some internal protiens within the skin. The next process is whats called the liming where the skins are soaked in a solution of water and amonium sulphate. This is to remove all the Sodium Sulphide from the skin. The next process is the baiting which is to preserve the skin.