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Leather drinking vessels and water carriers have been in use since Neolithic times, but it was during the medieval and later Tudor periods that they became particularly popular. Leather is mainly worked wet so that it can be shaped. When air dried it becomes what is known as jack leather and medieval leather vessels therefore became known as jacks.
Later fashion, particularly in Tudor times, added a wider base, presumably to promote better stability as found with those discovered with the wreck of the Mary Rose. However, use of the jack continued until Nelsons time when they were known as Boots, hence the naval phrase "Fill up your Boots" meaning "have a drink".
Jacks, or tankards as they became known, were then used during the Crimea. They do not make a noise on the fighting front and can be easily repaired in the field. Leather jacks and tankards were used during the 20th Century, particularly in the mining and steel industries, where copious amounts of drinking water were necessary because of either the dusty or hot atmospheres. In the Barnsley mining area they became known as Jingle Boys because of bells attached to the base of the handle which were rung to attract the water boy. In the West Midlands steel mills Jacks were known as Piggins and had a whistle attached to the base of the handle which was blown to, again, attract the water boy. From the Piggin Whistle arose the popular pub name; nothing to do with animals! Water jugs were also made from leather, originating during early medieval times.
During the Tudor period they became known as Bombards because the body shape resembled the barrel of the bombard gun. Leather bombards were very popular to vast sizes because leather is very light in comparison to its strength and durability. Such vessels were used throughout society from the man in the street to royalty. The only difference was that the higher up society you were, the more decorated the jack or tankard would be. There is ample evidence of English royalty giving leather jacks to continental royalty because they were only ever made with an integral inner waterproof lining in England.
Leather drinking vessels were in use at the same time as glass, pewter and pottery. However, glass was excessively expensive, pewter ran a very close second and pottery easily broke. Leather was relatively cheap, available and strong and was therefore widely used. Glass was so expensive that even well to do middle class families invariably owned only one glass goblet which was stood in the middle of the table as a communal wine goblet. The servant with the leather bottle stood in the corner to replenish the glass when needed. He was known as the Bottler which was eventually corrupted into Butler. Waterproofing of the finished tankards was accomplished in several ways. During earlier times the skin side of the hide was turned to the inside of the vessel because it is that part of the leather which is most naturally waterproof. The outside would be the flesh side which would be rubbed with animal fat in earlier periods and later with either beeswax or boiled birch tree sap. The tree sap turns black when boiled and from its application to the outside of a jack came the phrase "Blackjack". As time progressed the waterproof membrane was placed only on the inside of the vessel. Again beeswax was used, but was an expensive method and had to be replaced at regular intervals. More commonly used was birch tree sap which, in more modern times, has been replaced with Brewers Pitch, a material used to caulk the old wooden beer barrels.
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