Now only Hist. or dial. Forms: 4 whitetawier, white-tawyer, whit(t)awyer, 5 whytetawyer, 5–7 white tawyer, (7 whiteawr), 5– whittawer, 6–8 white tawer, 7–8 white-tawer, 9 whitawer, dial. w(h)ittor, whittaw, etc. [f. WHITE a. + TAWER1. (Cf. the synonymous MDu. witgaerwer, MHG. wiȥgerwer, G. weissgerber.)] One who taws skins into WHITLEATHER: = TAWER1. In mod. dial., a saddler, harness-maker.

1

1284.  12 Edw. I Stat. Wallie, c. 4. De Whitauwariis [v.rr. Whitawyariis, Whytawyariis], scilicet qui coria bovina & equina furata scienter albificant ut sic non agnoscantur.

2

13[?].  Liber Albus (Rolls), III. 432. Galfridus le Whitetawier.

3

1311.  Letter Bk. D. Lond., lf. 127. Walterus le Whitawyer, Joh’es le Megucer. Ibid. (1346), F. lf. 126 b. Les bones gentz appellez Whittawyers.

4

1411.  Close Roll 12 Hen. IV., dorso, Willielmus Pratte, White tawyer.

5

1474.  Cov. Leet Bk., 401. The sise of a whittawer is that he make nor tawe no maner of lether but Shepis lether, Gettes lethir, deris ledur, horse-lethir, or houndes-lether.

6

1615.  Manch. Crt. Leet Rec. (1885), II. 303. Robart Hilton, whiteawr.

7

1615.  Manwood, Lawes Forest, xxv. 250 b. If any white Tawyer doe dwell in the forest, he shall be remoued, and make fine: for they are the common dressers of skins of stolne Deere.

8

1660.  Sharrock, Vegetables, 88. Lime, which the Tanner and White-Tawer take out of their lime-pits.

9

1720.  Lond. Gaz., No. 5882/8. William Welden,… Whittawer.

10

a. 1722.  Lisle, Husb. (1752), 45. Few harness-makers, that are white tawers, understand how to dress their hides.

11

1854.  Miss Baker, Northampt. Gloss., Whitawer, a collar-maker, or maker of husbandry harness.

12

1859.  Geo. Eliot, Adam Bede, vi. Men are busy there mending the harness, under the superintendence of Mr. Goby the ‘whittaw,’ otherwise saddler.

13

  Hence † Whittawing vbl. sb., the practice of whittawers.

14

1581.  Kitchin, Le Crt. Leete, 13. Auxi si ascun per ascun voie corrupt les common ewes per whitawinge per lyme ou per line.

15