Daily AncestorDrysalter
A drysalter was a British dealer in dyes, glue, varnish and other chemicals, and often in salted and pickled foods as well.
The name was in use in Britain by the early 1700s and was still current in the early 1900s. Some drysalters concentrated on dyestuffs such as cochineal, indigo, logwood and madder, and some sold salt or chemicals for preserving food, pickles or dried meat.
The trade grew out of the salter, who in the Middle Ages simply traded in salt. A drysalter might also make paint, or trade as a chemist or hardware merchant.
As seen in a recordOccupation column of the 1850 to 1880 census
Geo. Thackwray, 56, Drysalter, England
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Daily Ancestor. "Drysalter." Dictionary of Old Record Words. https://dailyancestor.com/dictionary/occupations/drysalter. Last checked 2026-10-12.