A large Tannery existed in the town from the early 1700's in a good place for the tannery by the stream between Chapmangate and Union Street, but not good for the residents with the odours and chemicals used by the tanning process. In the latter years it was run by the Wilson family from around 1770 to 1833. Then Thomas Wilson was made a bankrupt and the Tannery was sold by auction in 1833. The newspaper advertisement below gives a lot of detail about the old Tannery site.