Candle Making

We take our creature comforts [rice paper and wooden handled fan found in St. James Church with no date] so much for granted today. [Travel iron with wooden handle belonging to Anne Langton and triangular case to hold the different weights of press; measures approximately 7.62 x 12.7 centimetres] Light was only provided after dark by candles. In the early days, [image of current day barn on Blythe Farm property with “Blythe Farm” in white letters on front of barn] they were brought in from Peterborough.

[Video of how candles were made.  Woman dressed in 19th century clothing in pioneer kitchen showing the process of how wicks were dipped in fat] Anne became proficient in candle making out of necessity. It was a long process of dipping warm tallow (a rendered form of beef or mutton fat) over a wick. [Anne Langton charcoal sketch of 19th century woman standing at large wheel with candles attached, to make the dipping process easier] To make the process faster and easier, candle making wheels were fashioned.