1945-1946
Appleton, Town of Mississippi Mills, Ontario, Canada
Credits:
North Lanark Regional Museum (2012.79.12.6)
Photographer: Malak Karsh
Donated by Eleanor Wright & Irene Dunn Thompson
Some of the wool definitely came from local markets. The Tweedsmuir History of Appleton documents the production of local wool for the Caldwell mill. An Appleton Tweedsmuir History article submitted by Anna and Cecil Turner April 10, 1976 recounts:
“In the days when the mill at Appleton made 100% pure wool blankets (Caldwell’s) the wool was bought from the local farmers (much of it). Some of the women would keep a fleece of wool to make their own woolen comforters, using teased wool as a filler. The price of wool was higher if the wool was washed. To do this, many farmers drove their sheep down to the river in the spring and washed them there. (…) this wool had the oil restored to it and was preferred by the mill workers to the fleeces that were washed and dried after shearing. Hence the ‘river washed wool’ brought a better price. Of course dust came back into the wool on the journey home but the wool could still be sold as washed wool. Few if any sheep were drowned.” — North Lanark Regional Museum
Another story you might like to enjoy-Another Memory of the Cavers family in Appleton
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