Samuel Slater (l768–l835) was an industrialist born in Derbyshire, England. He was apprenticed to the partner of Richard Arkwright, who invented cotton-spinning machinery. Slater familiarized himself with Arkwright's machines and those of James Hargreaves and Samuel Crompton before embarking for America in l789. Once on these shores, he contracted with the firm of Almy & Brown of Providence, Rhode Island, to reproduce for them Arkwright's cotton-spinning machinery. In l793, Slater established a factory in Pawtucket, named Almy, Brown & Slater.

Samuel Slater is regarded as the founder of the American cotton industry. Thanks to him, cotton mills began to spin material for candlewicks and sold it rolled into balls. A young male apprentice cut lengths of about 20 inches on a sharp-bladed measuring cutter — much like the office paper cutter we know. The lengths intended for dipping were hung in sets of two over 3 feet–long rods, called “broaches,” that lay parallel on a wooden frame. Separated by a space of about three inches, the boy then twisted the two strands together. This required both skill and dexterity, for first the boy tightened the twist the spinner had made in the yarn and then had to twist the strands in the opposite direction, like a rope. Made that way, they would “hold their lay,” as was said of a well-made wick.

Production of Dipped Candles

A professional dipper used a number of broaches (racks) at the same time. Suspending them over the tallow vat, he was able to dip all the wicks into the fat simultaneously and evenly. This process allowed him to, with a helper, dip and cool as many as 500 candles per day.

As the candles thickened with repeated dippings, they developed the irregular shape of a “taper.” When each candle had been dipped enough times to accumulate enough tallow to weigh approximately ¼ pound, the candles were removed from the broaches and packed in barrels. The loop of the wick remained, making pairs.