fellmonger

A fellmonger is a dealer in skins and hides, particularly those of sheep. Historically, fellmongers were responsible for removing wool from sheepskins, a process also known as "dressing" or "pulling" the wool. This wool, often referred to as "pulled wool" or "skin wool," was then sold to wool merchants or manufacturers. The skins themselves, after the wool removal and subsequent preparation, could be sold as sheep pelts or further processed into leather for various uses.

The trade of fellmongering was a significant part of the leather and textile industries in many regions. Fellmongers would typically acquire raw skins from butchers, slaughterhouses, or livestock markets. They then performed the necessary steps to prepare the wool and the skin for sale. This could involve soaking the skins, treating them with lime to loosen the wool fibers, and then carefully scraping or pulling the wool away. The remaining sheepskin would then be treated and sold as a finished product or an intermediate material for leather tanning.

The term "fell" in fellmonger is thought to derive from the Old English word "fell," meaning skin or hide. While the traditional role of the fellmonger has evolved with modern industrial processes, the term itself refers to this historical occupation. The practice was widespread in areas with significant sheep farming, and fellmongers played a crucial role in the supply chain for both wool and leather goods before the advent of more mechanized and consolidated industries.