The oldest professions 3

Kobrin → Outstanding persons → Alexey Mikhaylovich Martynov

Laundresses
Long since the fair number of townswomen was engaged in washing of linen. This work exhausting health was conducted manually. The washing machines significantly facilitating work of the laundress entered the general use quite recently. There were no also modern detergents in the past. And many tried to save on a simple laundry soap, applying the tincture from wood ashes called "meadow". Usually each laundress served constant customers, mainly families of wealthy Jews and officials. Weighty bales with dirty linen were dragged by laundresses on zagorbka, in the same way came back to clients. Payment was made by the piece. The coming laundress erasing at home clients for a day payment was a kind of this widespread profession. A lot of trouble was brought upon the laundress by ironing in official shirts of starched cuffs and shirtfronts that was fashionable before revolution. Before emergence of electric irons in the course there were pig-iron irons of various designs, with pipes and without. Made related all of them only the fact that for heating charcoal served. However, individual laundresses were brought only in the seventies. The laundry of public use appeared in Kobrin only in post-war time.



Smiths
Smiths - one of the most ancient and the professions inspiring respect which representatives at many people were surrounded with a mystery aura. In the recent past on suburban streets of Kobrin anvils of several handicraft smithies tirelessly ringed. It is indicative that unlike other professions sharing on specifically Jewish and non Jewish at smiths of delimitation was not observed. Most often the craft of the smith was hereditary. At an anvil the master worked with an invariable journeyman hammerer. Depending on a type of products hot or cold forging was applied. Long ago times when all iron products passed through skillful hands of smiths sank into oblivion. And they were an uncountable set, since a needle both nailing and finishing the military and hunting weapon. The rapid development of the industry accompanied with mass release of cheap metal objects of daily consumption gradually reduced a role of forge skill, having left sharply outlined sphere on its share. Presently he condescended mainly to agriculture level. The place of cozy smithies with the flaring horns at plants of economy was strongly taken now by huge forge shops in which the traditional manual hammer gave way to the powerful mechanical bulks which inherited its former appointment.



Balagula
As widespread look cargo and partly passenger transport to Polesia a long time served izvozny trade. Its need was caused by poorly developed network iron and highways. In Kobrin several Jewish families were engaged in this business. Their central point was in the wooden building on the Market square on which place the building of TsSU is built. Here orders were taken and contracts were signed. Vans balagul were incomparably massivny more capaciously than regular carts. For protection against weather falsities of the truck had the oval awnings covered by tarpaulin. In a stable of a balagula there were several horses heavy trucks, including spare. Depending on a road condition and the volume of freight two or four horses in a van were harnessed it was loaded to hundred poods which were transported on distance to 100-150 versts. In any weather on highways and country off road terrain gradually paced near truck produblenny the sun and wind of a balagul. Besides delivery of goods for merchants on some routes of a balagula served also unpretentious passengers - mainly Jewish poor. Trucks of the facilitated design were for this purpose used. It is possible to imagine what for fascinating travel occurred in the trucks filled to a limit, making a din shivering on potholes of country roads. Wandered thus the whole families, usually with a heap of children, it is frequent with chest babies. Here really, the more the merrier.

 A. Martynov

Martynov, And. The oldest professions of Kobrin district / A. Martynov//Kobrin-inform. – 2011. – January 27. – Page 6.; Kobrynsk_ vesn_k. – 1995. – 18 studzenya.



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