Be Thankful for Fuel!
As you gather for your Thanksgiving festivities with family and friends, you probably take for granted that you’re celebrating your gratitude in a nice, warm house.
It’s easy to forget that your boiler or furnace is filled with heating oil or propane, and that Fairclough Fuel delivers it to your home. And that’s just fine with us – our goal is for you to be warm and cozy without worries.
We’ve been keeping our Northern New Jersey friends and neighbors warm and comfortable since we started out delivering coal before the turn of the 20th century, and we have stood behind every fuel and gas delivery we have made since N.B. Fairclough founded the business back in 1860.
Indeed, throughout history, home comfort has always been a basic need – and so we thought it would be both timely and interesting to take a step back to the 1620s to see what fuels the Pilgrims used.
How did the Pilgrims keep warm during the winter?
Fuel for heat
- Wood: The Pilgrims burned wood for their fireplaces to provide heat, which was readily available in their new environment.
- Coal: They used portable “coal pots” filled with coals to warm their feet or small spaces.
- Bed warmers: Copper bedwarmers, likely filled with hot coals, were used to heat beds before sleep.
Fuel for cooking
- Wood: Firewood was the main fuel for cooking.
- Coals: The Pilgrims would place hot coals both underneath and on top of bake kettles to cook food, controlling the cooking speed by adding or removing coals.
- An iron pot from their supplies would have been used for boiling and stewing, heated by a fire.
From the times of the Pilgrims … to 1860 when our company was founded … right up until today, folks have been thankful for fuel – and the cozy feeling it brings.
Happy Thanksgiving to our loyal customers! May your homes be filled with warmth, your bellies filled with good food, and your hearts filled with joy!
