The Rural Voice, 1999-08, Page 36A century of sheep
Blyth's tanneries have been been processing sheep byproducts
through the many ups and downs of the sheep industry
The sheep ind- back to 1894 when
ustry in Ontario has Allan Bert, Frank
waxed and waned _ _ and Jayne Bainton,
over the years but all childrert of the
for more than a : widow Mrs.
century sheep have w Charles Bainton,
been part of the ;�'-: �►' relocated to Blyth,
success of the 3 renting an old
tannery businesses ,- tannery building.
in Blyth. �, , Allan Bert had
Though the retail 1? Tk worked in a tannery
stores, the Old Mill `� i, �s ' k''' x"k
� ;� >.r'�� ��; ,� ,xr� and glove factory
and Bainton's Old p' in Wingham and
Mill, are among the _ _ _ ,.
Frank in a woolen,
highest profile"~'yi` "� : '' mill in Teeswater.
businesses in ,�. y "' Bainton Brothers
western Ontario. Win.`' -k' %; (sister Jayne
working quietly
� � worked in the
behind them the M
� �' - � office) began as a
tanneries associated .' '` _ ' -' - wool pullery and
with the two �° �' ,' "T», tannery.
businesses have "' .:--'� Over the years,
established a long Workers, above, pull the stool from sheepskins at the Batman Limited tanner. says Franklin Snell,
history, much of it Below, after the wool is stripped off the leather is tanned and workers "toggle" who now operates
associated with the leather. Bainton Limited,
sheep. _ the mill started by
While tanneries his great -grand -
were once major father and great -
employers in many uncle, wool pulling
Ontario towns, has remained the
Bainton Limited. heart of the
and Atlas Fur = business. At
Tanning and various times the
Dyeing Limited, are company has
two of few diversified, adding
remaining. Each has '� other side -lines
staked out its ownE°'
Vii from glove making
realm of expertise to blanket weaving,
that has kept it but the business it
going. Bainton °,.- ,, keeps coming back
Limited is a large- ..-.. ' """""` to is wool -pulling.
volume operationw+��,�.?. The business is
buying sheepskins ` ` rs . both high volume
from all over North q and labour
America while intensive. Because
Atlas is a more it uses up to
diverse business, 250,000 sheepskins
best known for its a year, Bainton
sheep and lambskins but from special orders for the fall to a single sheep Limited has a much bigger
also custom tanning .manufacturers to or cow hide fora farmer. appetite than Ontario's
smaller lots, everything deerskins for hunters in The businesses date sheep industry can
32 THE RURAL VOICE