"Flesher"

[marcie dean]

Can anyone tell me what a "flesher" is.  Is it the same as being a Butcher.  Fleisch in german is meat.
marcie

[c-side]

Hi Marcie,

I've just done a google define request and got two answers -

1. a butcher, like you thought

2. someone who removes flesh from hides in leather making

Christine

[gortonboy]

Flesher etc = Flesher etc

... into leather; dressing and applying dyes and stains to leather; performing related tasks.

[marcie dean]

Thanks everyone just confirmed what I was thinking plus a bit
marcie

[Steve G]

... into leather

  MATRON!!!

Yeppers. I'd go with working in a Tannery too  He'd likely be the poor soul with the job of scraping every last trace of flesh and fat etc. from the hides. Used a thing called a Currying Blade. Sort of slightly bowed knife with a handle at either end.

 He'd throw the hide over a plank, which would be supported at one end by a trestle. Then he'd stand over it and start drawing the knife toward himself, across the underside of the hide. Really quite a skilled job, actually. Ye really do need to remove every last trace of stuff, without slitting that hide.

 I've done this, on an amateur basis. Hate it! 

[Skoosh]

Marcie,  in Scotland a butcher was a flesher, not much used nowadays, like fruiterer....Skoosh.

[Big-toshie]

My G-grandfather and his father were both fleshers and we know they had butchers shops.
Bob