The History of the Barber

Ah, the great barber! When you find a good one, you find treasure. This is a common feeling for all men for almost all of our history. Speaking of which…

Barbers in ancient history

Barbers have been part of our history for centuries, going all the way back to ancient Egypt and Greece where the first tools were flint and oyster shells.

At first, they not only cut hair, they also performed surgery, dentistry, bloodletting and priestly duties (as many believed evil entered someone by their hair). It’s why the barber pole is red, white and blue and why barbers used to be called “barber surgeons”.

This continued during the colonization days of early Canada, but ceased in the 18th century when anything medical was separated from the trade.

The recent past

By the 19th and 20th century, barber shops became a popular gathering place for men to socialize and receive a variety of grooming services, top among them obviously being haircuts.

As Canada’s population and economy grew, so too did the number of shops, as they became an important part of local communities for friends and neighbors to meet.

Today’s barbers

Today, the barber trade continues to grow, expand, thrive and adapt to ever changing trends in men’s fashion. Barbers today not only offer traditional business cuts and shaves, they also do fades, beard trims, mustache trims, eyebrow trims, neck shaves, hair coloring, etc. Their tools have also increased from scissors and combs to buzzers and clippers of all kinds.

The history of the trade is a testament to its enduring importance in modern society. It is a timeless, borderless and important profession that is valued and will continue to be so by men, not only in Canada, but all over the world.

As we mentioned before, when you find a good barber, you friend treasure. That said, if you haven’t found yours, make sure to book a haircut at Goldwyn & Sons. We guarantee you, you’ll find your barber here at the best barber shop in Oakville, Ontario, Canada.

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Thanks to ChatGBT for its assistance

[2] History of Barber Shops