asher
n. countable C2 Proficiency US //ˈæʃɝ// ash·er
n. a person who works with ash or helps make soap and glass. This is an old word for a job that people do not really have anymore.
n. a person who collects, prepares, or works with wood ash, historically for use in the manufacture of potash, soap, or glass.
The asher gathered wood remains to sell to the soap maker.
In the eighteenth century, an asher would travel between villages to collect the remains of hearth fires for industrial processing.
The role of the asher was vital to the early chemical industry, as they provided the raw alkaline materials necessary for both textile bleaching and glass production.
Usage
Archaic; primarily found in historical texts or genealogical records.