SWINBORNE’S ISINGLASS FACTORY
Isinglass
Originally Swinbornes were tanners and curriers (leather workers) operating from premises on the south side of East Street (called ‘Mr Swinborne’s old factory’ in 1859) and at this site at the far end of West Street – where the smelly business of tanning took place, well away from the centre of town. The tannery used a stone roller to crush oak bark to release the tannins which were central to the curing of leather. Until recently this large stone wheel, albeit damaged, still lay in the yard but has now disappeared. Related to these activities is the production of glue derived from the rendered skins of animals. These glues can be produced in a range of qualities of which one of the most refined is Gelatine.
In 1847 George Swinborne was granted a patent for ‘Improvements in the Manufacture of Gelatinous Substances and in the Apparatus to be Used Therein’. This patent specified the use of shavings of calf skin (made using a carpenters plane) and a chemical-free process to produce a highly refined gelatin.
Swinborne was also producing genuine Isinglass which instead of being made from animal skin, was made from, ‘from cod sounds and other fishy products.’ Over time it was found that the best ‘fishy products’ were the swim bladders of certain species of fish. Isinglass had the surprising ability to clarify cloudy beer or wine and was enthusiastically taken up by the brewing industry
For the domestic market Swinborne’s produced ‘Patent Isinglass’ which was a combination of his patented geletine and fish-based isinglass. Having no taste or smell and was used both as an additive for food and to make jellies. it was recommended by none other than the famous Mrs Beeton who described it as ‘of uniform strength and purity, tasteless and entirely free from smell.’
Production was started in part of premises formerly used by the tannery but these were soon extended as demand grew. Between 1850s and the 1870s there was a huge expansion in the business, and as ‘Thomas Swinborne & Co, Patent Isinglass and Gelatine Refiners and Manufacturers’ more buildings were put up. 1868, a nephew, Mr Pfander, was helping Swinborne to run the business which then employed 42 men and boys. The tannery had ceased production by this time but leather finishing continued with around 12 curriers being employed and a warehouse used for leather storage.
The dried fish bladders – called ‘Maws’ were at first imported from the Mediterranean but later supplies came from South America and from various species of fish, such as Brazilian Lump, South American Purse and Pipe fish.
After the bales of maws were opened, inspected and graded. Originally several grades of Isinglass were made using different species of fish but later a single uniform type was produced.
The inspected maws were washed in large drums (the same as were used for the skin pieces used in gelatine production). These were then bleached and softened with dilute hydrogen peroxide and then scrubbed to remove any skin. The treated bladders were stored for a week in boxes in a cold room for further conditioning and then any impurities trimmed off with a knife. After drying on racks the bladders were called ‘leaves’ and deemed to be Isinglass.
Further treatment depended on the finished product being required. If strips were needed the leaves were wetted and rolled and joined to form a continuous strip. After drying they were rolled again to polish. In other cases they might be cut into ribbons, which were shredded for the home market. In the later days the Isinglass was shredded, flocked or sold as a liquid.
Power originally came from a single cylinder steam engine dating from 1886 driving shafts which operated the rollers and cutters via belt drives. The engine was supervised by Ernie Godfrey, a ‘small and very lively fella’ who lived at the Hamlet. Ernie started the engine each morning by standing on one of the big flywheel spokes, forcing it to turn when it would suddenly burst into life – it was a wonder (says Dave Iszard) that he never fell into the flywheel pit! It was seldom used after 1958, as electric engines were installed to power the driving shafts.
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By 1875 the business was known as ‘G P Swinborne & Co, Isinglass and Gelatine Manufacturers’ and expansion continued to the end of the 19th century. The Swinborne family sold the factory in 1930 and it came under the ownership of the ‘Isinglass Manufacturing Co’.
The last owners, James Vickers Ltd, closed the works in 1999 with the loss of around ten jobs. It had been decided that isinglass production should be concentrated in the brewery town of Burton-on-Trent. The old factory buildings in Coggeshall were later converted into flats.
The main tannery building at the Isinglass factory is now Listed Grade II.
Here is a link to the Historic England Listing description. Isinglass Factory Listing Details