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Post by ivyplus on Oct 9, 2007 19:59:59 GMT 12
I was reading a book about lost trades. Unimaginable what trades there were.
E.g. sulpher collector. In Switzerland the cows are in sheds and pee and poo inside. This is collected in a big underground tank. Sulpher is on the walls of these tanks and I think about 100 years + (unfortunately I couldn't find the book again to confirm) there were sulpher collectors. The sulpher on the walls belonged to the government and the collectors had to scrape if off the walls. The government made gun powder with it.
Or there were resin collectors (Harzer called) 150 years ago. They climbed on pine trees and collected the resin. The resin was used for many purposes: - pitch production - glue production - sealing wax - window putty - cement for wells (resin mixed with eggwhite) - wheel lubricant (resin, butter and linseed oil mixed together) - plaster for rheumatism - course plaster for ulcers and soaps --> Neutral resin soap recipe: 300kg resin melted by 1500C - 160oC, 30kg caustic soda resolved in 15 to 20 times of water added to the melted resin and left so set for 14 days) This recipe is from 1925.
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Post by meandog on Oct 10, 2007 6:33:12 GMT 12
They used to collect Kauri Gum here many years ago. It was exported to the U.K. to make varnish from. There is still Kauri Gum pits out in the bush that one has to be careful not to fall into as some are quite deep and covered in undergrowth. They had very long spears made of high tensile rod that they plunged into the earth and if they hit something they then dug down to find out what it was. Of course this all went on in the upper north island where it was the only place that the tree grew.
There is some beautiful specimans of Kauri Gum in the Matakohe Museum.
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Post by OasisNZ on Oct 10, 2007 14:56:24 GMT 12
We have a booklet here somewhere about the Kauri Gum diggers of old, very interesting topic, hope I can find the book...
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Post by Aglarana on Oct 10, 2007 19:36:47 GMT 12
lol. I live off Don Bucks Rd in Massey, Auck. There used to be an awesome Kauri Gum Museum that was the home of Don Buck. All the primary schools in the area used to visit it. Thanks to population growth, the homestead has diappeared.
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Post by mab on Oct 10, 2007 19:53:12 GMT 12
I have read the book about Anna Goeldin. She was the last witch which was hanged in Switzerland in 1792. What a life story! She was at the wrong spot at the wrong place. One of the children who she was caring for was spitting out nails. And they said it was Anna who bewitched this child. I read in 1925 a policeman in Germany shut a guy dead in suspicion of being an werewolf. Superstitions are still happening. Ohhh those sound right up my alley. I have quite a few witchy books if you would like to loan some? Theres one of a females experience of being in a coven, thats a really good read. My favorite book is a school age one but I sought it out and bought it and have kept it ever since, makes me cry every time I read it. Its based in WW2 and its called The Silver Sword, its based on fact just the names have been changed. www.readingmatters.co.uk/book.php?id=81
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Post by ivyplus on Oct 10, 2007 21:04:18 GMT 12
I have read the book about Anna Goeldin. She was the last witch which was hanged in Switzerland in 1792. What a life story! She was at the wrong spot at the wrong place. One of the children who she was caring for was spitting out nails. And they said it was Anna who bewitched this child. I read in 1925 a policeman in Germany shut a guy dead in suspicion of being an werewolf. Superstitions are still happening. Ohhh those sound right up my alley. I have quite a few witchy books if you would like to loan some? Theres one of a females experience of being in a coven, thats a really good read. My favorite book is a school age one but I sought it out and bought it and have kept it ever since, makes me cry every time I read it. Its based in WW2 and its called The Silver Sword, its based on fact just the names have been changed. www.readingmatters.co.uk/book.php?id=81I love true stories and biographies. Also anything what tells me how people were living 100 years ago or more. It is so interesting and sometimes I can take things out of these books and apply them to my life.
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Post by mab on Oct 10, 2007 21:37:31 GMT 12
Ill have a wee look through all my boxes and see If I can find you something. I do have one book of the history of witchcraft and how they lived back then among other books, afew biographies as I get into the true dramas as well.
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Post by ivyplus on Oct 10, 2007 21:44:54 GMT 12
Ill have a wee look through all my boxes and see If I can find you something. I do have one book of the history of witchcraft and how they lived back then among other books, afew biographies as I get into the true dramas as well. Thanks for that. I am not too much into witchcraft (except of stuff about herbs and healing) but mainly about living the old way. Maybe you find something. Also anything about lives of interesting people.
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Post by mab on Oct 11, 2007 7:49:19 GMT 12
The primo book I have of witchcraft is not getting into spells or anything, its the history of it, true stories of how it got out of hand, the tortures they use to use in The Inqusition , herbs etc etc so may be a good read for you. I dont loan out my books with incantations in them as I have my own written in.lol
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Post by ivyplus on Jun 30, 2008 20:47:48 GMT 12
I have a book about trades which are no longer used.
e.g. gum collector, sulpher collector, wood ash collector (they needed ash and straw to wash their clothes before soap was invented)
It's such an interesting book.
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