Bas Etang for Sale

The twelve original Tanneries were grouped at the heart of the village, along the Boivre and the  Feeder Canal.      .

At the end of the nineteenth century Charles GUIONNET created a single business by grouping together those which he had inherited from his father Pierre (260, 265, 266) and others which he bought (261, 264) as well as the Tanning Mill.

The present Tannery stands  on the previous Tanneries 260 and 261, and the Tanning Mill BARRAU or of the island at BARRAU.

 Professional  Leatherworks  are increasingly anxious  to establish an ecological process in the core of their work.

For some years now the Technical Committee of Leatherwork the (CTC) have established researches on elements such as the reduction of smells or the management  of  waste containing chrome salts in the tanning industry.

For the last ten years the Tannery of the Boivre in Lavausseau has adapted its production to the capacity of refinement of heavy metals. Also the river flow has greatly reduced from 12 cubic meters daily to 90 cubic meters per year. It is  due to the treatment of skins of goats and calves instead of skins of sheep which take up a lot of water.

 In 1632 three Tanning Mills and twenty four Tanneries were under the control of the domaine of the `Commanderie des Hospitaliers, probably the restart of that industry in Lavausseau from a much earlier period.

An industrial enquiry in 1811, records 20 Tanneries in the area of Poitiers; -7 in Poitiers, 1 at Sanxay, 1 at Vivonne and 11 at Benassay in  other words in the borough of Lavausseau. (The two communes were separated in 1868)

The above mentioned 11 Tanneries employed 14 workmen, usually employed elsewhere but who worked there part-time at 12 francs a month.

Nine Tanneries remained in 1847 with an annual turnover of 5000 franks, the average daily salary for the 18 workers was 1.50 francs *.

At the end of the nineteenth century Charles Guionnet put all the local activities into one single enterprise, sited on the place of an old tanning mill where the present Tannery is, run from 1929 by the Carbonnier family.

Leather work in the region of the Poitou-Charentes

 Work of leather and skins is old in the region; notably at Niort where they specialised in glove-making and `chamoiserie` from antiquity.

On a gravestone dating back to the thirteenth century, found at Rochernard (79) are engraved tools for tannery and leather soles of shoes.

In the fifteenth century, the leathers from the Poitou were the basis of a business, as well as towards Britanny and Toulousain. Tanneries were found in all villages in the region, Chatellerault, Poitiers, Niort, Partheney...where important fairs were held, but Tanneries were not the only urban phenomenon.  The professionals, saddlers, glove makers, welders were regrouped as `trades` strictly controlled, as at Poitiers where Tanners had to bring and sell their leatherwork at their markets halls at `la Place du Pilori`. They were  not permitted to take them for sale out of the town.

Consequently, that trade suffered counter-reaction from `l`Edit de Nantes` causing the departure of many workers, then of the strictness of the legislation on the marking of leathers . with the law in 1759 aimed at the control and of the tax of tanned leather.

In 1811 only 55 Tanneries remained in the department of the Vienne.

The genealogical study of some families makes understandable  the re-appearance of new names or their association with ancient names. at the head of the Tanneries  or their association with ancient names. They are the product of inheritance or matrimonial alliances between families in order to preserve their inheritance.

Similarly young workers employed at the Tanneries in the footsteps of their grand-fathers, fathers and uncles followed the family traditions.

 In civil registers are the trade names the of holders of Tanneries and merchants  Tanners  or owners; workers or employers, boy tanners, tanners or master-craftsmen.

 Lavausseau a village of Tanners.

The discovery of isolated items including moulding or polishing axes show that the site of Lavausseau is inhabited since prehistoric times.

An aquaduct of 25 kilometers which take the source at Fleury and the discovery of a bronze statuette at Chasseport prove Roman habitation.(settlement).

In the twelvth century `l`Ordre des Hospitaliers de Saint.Jean de Jerusalem` the actual `Ordre de Malte` were present in the village, and remained there until the end of the eighteenth century.

The establishment of Tanneries was probably older , but the oldest document  found quotes that activity and a verbal statement at  the market of Poitiers in Mathurin Ruffin refers to a tanner from Lavausseau.

The presence of the river Boivre, the practice of  the growth of the commerce of salt in Poitou, the exploitation of oak and the production of chalk, indispensable elements for tannery, have contributed to the development of that industry in Lavausseau.

As much as the term “skin” means the rough cover of animals whereas ”leather” denotes skin which has been tanned. The terminology is at times confused.

Thus, it is current to refer to “skin” before and after treatment, of small animals , viz: calves, goats, sheep, as well as those for furs. as well as those  hair coats or  fleece which are preserved; and “leather” for thicker skins of large animals in particular bovines,  tanned or un-tanned.

Skins and leathers equally have different names depending on finishes.

Green or rough Leather :              as coming from slaughter houses

Crusty Leather                  :              rough tanning leather

Russian Leather               :                leather treated with oil of the birch tree

Shagreen                            :               goat skin died in different colours, small grain

Varnished  Leather          :              leather finished with layers of varnish or lacquer

Velvet Leather                   :              velvet finish by polishing the skin for

Dipped                                :                natural grain,

Veiled                                  :                which has been protected with a flexible layer

`Nappa`                               :                soft and polished on surface, velvety on back

In the beginning, there is skin...

The basis of leather industry is the skin, used mainly are skins of  mammals and, in smaller quantities  skins of animals such as reptiles, fish or birds.

The texture of the skin of animals consists of three layers :     

Epidermis, - thin layer more or less covered in hair, wool, scales or feathers

Dermis, - separated from the epidermis by a membrane `hyaline` which consists of the `fleur` (the finest part) on tanned leather ( about 85% of the thickness of the skin).

Hypodermis, - layer filled with fats, between the dermis and the flesh.

Formed by mixing  dense and felty white fibres (or layered) and yellow, (or elastic).  Only the dermis will be transformed into leather.

The skin or hide of the animal, consists of three main parts, the rump, the ....  and the flanks. Small skins are used whole whereas skins of large animals are cut into two strips or according to fixed prearranged shapes.

Tannery, `Megisserie`, Fur Trade, `Chamoiserie` (Chammy)...

Tannery is the word used where skins of mammals are treated to keep them dry ...

Depending on the size of the skins, their destination and the processes of tanning, there are different types of enterprises.

In tanneries are treated large skins of bovines or members of house families with or without hair.

In the megisseries` are treated small skins, mainly of bovines and of types of goats, soft and with hair removed.

Treatment of skins where fleeces are kept, independently from the   or the fleece, the wild origin or bred or size takes place at the furriers.

For `chamoiseries` an organic tanning is used.

Despite mechanisation and new processes like chrome tanning, what characterises tanning technics of humanity, is the permanence of signs and the uniformity of technics throughout the world for ages of time.*

Parchment : comes from Pergamena, skin of Pergame

Smooth skin, fine, firm,opaque or translucent for writing, for book-binding, bright colouring,     manufacture of musical instruments.

Of superior quality, velum comes from skins of  kid,  lambs and still-born calves.

Boiled Leather : material firm as wood and malleable like clay,  -boxes, sleeves, coffers,  of medieval art, masks.

Leather of Cordoba, close to tanned sheep`s leather. tanned  goat`s leather or sheep, - interior art of high luxury from the nineteenth century for gold tinted leather (guadamacil), rugs, chairs. Masters of that art originated from the Maures,-  they were Spaniards. This leather came from the local name of cobbler.

`Morocan`: vegetable tanning with sumac wood, of tinted goats` skin. The name originates from Morocco, it started being used from the seventeenth century for book-binding and furnishings.

`Galuchat` the inventor`s name in the eighteenth century. Skin of fish with small grain, like  dogfish, or large grain like the ray fish or shark. Once polished the surface is livened up with calcified bumps. Used in furnishing, decoration, much in vogue during the period of `Art-Deco`.

Hungarian leather  or tallow leather : thick cow leather, treated with alum and salt before being impregnated with tallow, destined to the confection of  large  harnesses, transmission belts and industrial items.

 Leathers of skins transformed are of diverse fabrications  depending on their uses     and numerous properties depending of the nature of the untreated skin, of tanning methods and finishes.

 From the flexibility of  Tanning with alum for gloves, and the hardness of vegetable leather for soles of shoes, that large variety of product includes various treatment like `maroquinerie`, furnishings, saddlery, clothing, cobbling,  book-binding, printing, music of decoration.

The invention of Tanning with chrome at the end of the nineteenth century, has reduce time and brought softness for use such as in clothing , and more resistance to temperature allowing use of a wide variety of colours.

Parallel with that development of technique, the replacement of the horse in agriculture with mechanical methods  reduces the use of leathers for harnesses and other leather items in connection. In the middle of the twentieth century shoe soles in leather will be replaced by other materials.

 Slow Tanning with tan.

Skins used in Lavausseau at the beginning of the nineteenth century were skins of cows, calves, sheep, mules, horse, donkeys, goats and dogs.

Until 1929 the process of Tanning was with tan was slow, the oldest and longest, differed from the fast and medium method which started at the end of the nineteenth century,

 In the beginning, salting was used for preserving fresh skins, or green skins from putrefaction.

The skin covered by salt on the flesh side becomes rough, and the process of tanning  begins in three principal phases :

During the soaking or `re-greening`, skins are soaked in the river to wash off the salt.

The skinning follows in `pelains` or `plains`, -  tanks containing a solution of chalk and water to facilitate depilitation.

(in 1847 were three chalk kilns at `la Vergniere` and at `la Loubatiere` producing annually 433 barrels each. Two workshop were running since the fifteenth century at `la Preille` and at `Rimbard`)

 The `ebourrage`  or  `debourrage` is carried out by a knife with curved blade, or a round knife and thus allows the removal of hair from the  skin intended for the tressel.

After rinsing, pieces of flesh or fat still stuck to the skin are removed with a knife with two handles called `faulx or faux. It is to remove flesh from the skin. The last hairs are removed with the `queurse`

2     Tanning.  A process to turn  skins  non-putrid by the penetration of tan.  Skins are put to soak in holes layer upon layer, with layers of tan or oak bark in between.

The removal of oak barks is taken from young trees in the Spring at the  rising of the sap , then they are milled in tanning mills.

In the old days, the used tan was put in tufts of earth or grass and after drying in the barns they were reused for burning.

(In 1811 the 46 holes contained 20 skins of cows  each, using 3000 kg of tan for heavy skins stayed 3 years in holes, and 2000 kg for other skins used for belts of weapons or drums stayed 2 years in the holes)

Following on from the drying , in drying places or in the open pread on cattle horns or bones, skins are flattened by foot  during the parage  or dreassage , and beaten with wooden mallets.

The Chemistry of Tanning.

Many tanning agents exist . They work in three separate stages of leather.

Vegetable tanning, - based on tree bark, leaves, fruit, roots, gall, extract from silver birch, pine, willow, accasia `nilotica`, popllar, sumac...

The bark of the oak, or tan, (from the Celtic name tann which means oak) has been the most notable and most used in Europe.

The discovery of the tan  of chestnut wood and the fabrication of  `quebracho` have speeded up the process of this type of tanning.

Mineral tanning , with the use of zirconium, the `silice`, salt and iron , but especially alun or aluminium salt, used since antiquity, and chrome salt.

Tanning by chromic salts invented by Cavallin and Knapp in 1880 has been patented by the Americans Schultz and Dennis and  completed by Lesterllier in 1903.

Organic tanning or oil tanning , has been carried through from animal oils.

The best known is the `chamoisage` procedure,  a very ancient tanning carried process with halibut liver oil. It owes its name camis in Turkish meaning fish oil.

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