In olden times people made all their own candles. They did this by pulling rushes and drying them and then dipping them in the grease of fat. The thick rushes were first peeled before being dried or dipped. There was a candle stick for the purpose of holding the rushes. These candles gave very poor light and did not last long. All the old people made candles this way for themselves. Five or six candles were used in a night. The school children of fifty years ago learned their lessons by the light of the rush candle. My grandparents learned their lessons sitting on the hearth stone by its light.