Re: Blacking factory

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My dear Parishoner of New Iberia,

  What indeed is a blacking factory!  To me it is many dismal things.  But I
must not be self-indulgent.
  In my day, we tended to favour the term "blacking warehouse."  We reserved
"factory" to designate the establishments in the North, manufacturing
textiles for the most part, on the "factory system."  When we used it for
smaller establishments, it was generally for ones making machines.
  A blacking warehouse was an establishment manufacturing, packaging and
distributing blacking, for cleaning boots and shoes.  Sometimes the same
establishment produced lead blacking as well, for cleaning stoves.  There
was a number of them throughout the kingdom, and competition was keen.
Warren's, for which I so reluctantly worked, was rivalled in London by Day
and Martin's.
  To this day, the thought, smell and appearance of shoe blacking arouses
anxieties and sorrows within me.

Faithfully yours,


Charles Dickens
________________________________________________________________________________
>What is a blacking factory?
>
>Iberia Parish Career Center
>New Iberia, LA
>ipcc@aisp.net
>
>

======================
Charles Dickens
charles_dickens@rmplc.co.uk
Author

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