Horse Hair Dresser & Toothbrush Drawer

[Ken_from_Wisbech]

Just to add my pennies worth.

My GGF was a horsehair dresser.  Apparently, he collecter the maines and tail of horses from the slaughter houses and cleaned them before being used for mattresses and stuffing furniture.

His dau., my GM, was a toothbrush drawer.  From waht I have found out, the ready drilled handles were delivered to her home, where she drew horsehair through the holes, trimmed them and then glued thhairs in.

Both were from the East End of London - 19th and early 20thc.

[carrielovesfanta]

Hi Ken,

I'm sure that there was a good thread about toothbrush makers on here somewhere... will just do a search!

Caz

[carrielovesfanta]

here it is:

http://www.rootschat.com/forum/index.php/topic,164756.0.html

there's a link to another post in that one too

Caz

[Ken_from_Wisbech]

Many thanks Caz.

I seem to recollect something on TV a while back, that Addiss had a brush factory in the East End and 'farmed' out a lot of their work out.

All very interesting!

[carrielovesfanta]

Don't addiss still make things like bins and washing-up bowls?

[Ken_from_Wisbech]

Yep.  They STILL do, Caz