Candle making · 1893–1903
From Zelino to Port Arthur
A small village in Tver Province was connected to military churches across the country. Records of candles—and of wax returned to the works—help us understand that connection.
In 1893, a wax-candle works opened in Zelino to supply churches of the military and naval departments. Notices from that year name a central warehouse and its branches; a review published in 1903 mentions Port Arthur as the outer reach of shipments of candles and candle ends. View the sources →
- Works
- 1
- Production site in Zelino
- Central warehouse
- 1
- At the Spiritual Board in Saint Petersburg
- Branches
- 21
- Named in notices published in 1893
- Outer reach
- Port Arthur
- Mentioned in a review from 1903
These are 24 places with different roles, not 24 documented recipients. A branch does not establish a shipment to every church or ship.
Candles and the return of wax
How distribution worked
Military churches obtained candles through warehouse branches. Candle ends—the wax remaining after burning—were collected for return to the works.
- 01
Production in Zelino
The works made wax candles for churches of the military and naval departments.
- 02
Two supply options
Branches received candles through the central warehouse in Saint Petersburg or directly from the works.
- 03
Branches and churches
Branches supplied military churches and collected candle ends.
- 04
Return to the works
Candle ends were sent back to the works. This return flow formed part of the distribution system.
This diagram explains the distribution arrangements. An 1893 notice gives the return address for candle ends: the Novotorzhskaya railway, Staritsa station. This address does not establish the complete route of each shipment. Sources for the diagram →
The 1902 instructions specify the return arrangements: candle ends normally went directly to the works, but branches in the Saint Petersburg and Finland military districts sent them to the central Petersburg warehouse (§ 8, p. 483).
Geography in the records
Explore the places
Select a marker or search for a place by its historical or modern name. Each record explains its role, the date of the evidence and the source.
Search by name ↓- Works
- Central warehouse
- Branch
- Outer reach
Closer view: Europe, the Caucasus and Transcaspia
Markers locate settlements, not warehouse addresses. Modern coordinates provide orientation; historical borders and transport routes have not been reconstructed. Natural Earth · public domain
Keyboard: Tab to the map, arrow keys to move between markers, Enter to open a record. Every place is also available in the list.
Search the visible places. Enable research layers below to include them.
Works · production site
Zelino village
Zelino, Tver Region
Selected: Zelino village. Works · production site- When
- Opened on 21 February 1893. The end of operations is not established here.
- What is known
- The departmental church-candle works was the production origin of the documented system.
What this meansThe map shows the documented role of the place, not a reconstructed transport route.
A reference location for the settlement; the map does not establish the exact historical site.
What remains to be established
The research register includes indirect regional evidence, associated institutions and places for further investigation. Showing them does not make them documented recipients of candles.
Individual churches, military units and ships require separate evidence of receipt. The register does not yet contain a complete documented chain to an individual recipient.
All 24 places: roles, dates and sources
The list contains the works, the central warehouse, 21 branches and Port Arthur as the outer geographic reach. Every record can be read without using the map.
Zelino villageWorks · production site
Zelino, Tver Region
Opened on 21 February 1893. The end of operations is not established here.
The departmental church-candle works was the production origin of the documented system.
The map shows the documented role of the place, not a reconstructed transport route.
A reference location for the settlement; the map does not establish the exact historical site.
SourcesThe link opens the issue. Find the printed page numbers above; they may differ from the image number.St PetersburgCentral warehouse
Saint Petersburg
Mentioned in material from 1893 and 1902. The closing date is not established.
A main warehouse operated under the Spiritual Board; branches could receive candles from it or directly from the works.
The map shows the documented role of the place, not a reconstructed transport route.
A reference location for the settlement; the map does not establish the exact historical site.
SourcesThe link opens the issue. Find the printed page numbers above; they may differ from the image number.KronstadtCandle-warehouse branch
Kronstadt, Saint Petersburg
Opening announced from 1 August 1893.
The primary source names an official candle-warehouse branch serving military churches and receiving candle ends for return.
A branch does not prove supply to every church, military unit or ship in the city.
A reference location for the settlement; the map does not establish the exact historical site.
SourcesThe link opens the issue. Find the printed page numbers above; they may differ from the image number.Tsarskoye SeloCandle-warehouse branch
Pushkin, Saint Petersburg
Opening announced from 1 August 1893.
The primary source names an official candle-warehouse branch serving military churches and receiving candle ends for return.
A branch does not prove supply to every church, military unit or ship in the city.
A reference location for the settlement; the map does not establish the exact historical site.
SourcesThe link opens the issue. Find the printed page numbers above; they may differ from the image number.KievCandle-warehouse branch
Kyiv, Ukraine
Opening announced from 1 August 1893.
The primary source names an official candle-warehouse branch serving military churches and receiving candle ends for return.
A branch does not prove supply to every church, military unit or ship in the city.
A reference location for the settlement; the map does not establish the exact historical site.
SourcesThe link opens the issue. Find the printed page numbers above; they may differ from the image number.VilnaCandle-warehouse branch
Vilnius, Lithuania
Opening announced from 1 August 1893.
The primary source names an official candle-warehouse branch serving military churches and receiving candle ends for return.
A branch does not prove supply to every church, military unit or ship in the city.
A reference location for the settlement; the map does not establish the exact historical site.
SourcesThe link opens the issue. Find the printed page numbers above; they may differ from the image number.KovnoCandle-warehouse branch
Kaunas, Lithuania
Opening announced from 1 August 1893.
The primary source names an official candle-warehouse branch serving military churches and receiving candle ends for return.
A branch does not prove supply to every church, military unit or ship in the city.
A reference location for the settlement; the map does not establish the exact historical site.
SourcesThe link opens the issue. Find the printed page numbers above; they may differ from the image number.KazanCandle-warehouse branch
Kazan
Opening announced from 1 August 1893.
The primary source names an official candle-warehouse branch serving military churches and receiving candle ends for return.
A branch does not prove supply to every church, military unit or ship in the city.
A reference location for the settlement; the map does not establish the exact historical site.
SourcesThe link opens the issue. Find the printed page numbers above; they may differ from the image number.TulaCandle-warehouse branch
Tula
Opening announced from 1 August 1893.
The primary source names an official candle-warehouse branch serving military churches and receiving candle ends for return.
A branch does not prove supply to every church, military unit or ship in the city.
A reference location for the settlement; the map does not establish the exact historical site.
SourcesThe link opens the issue. Find the printed page numbers above; they may differ from the image number.VitebskCandle-warehouse branch
Vitebsk, Belarus
Opening announced from 1 August 1893.
The primary source names an official candle-warehouse branch serving military churches and receiving candle ends for return.
A branch does not prove supply to every church, military unit or ship in the city.
A reference location for the settlement; the map does not establish the exact historical site.
SourcesThe link opens the issue. Find the printed page numbers above; they may differ from the image number.AskhabadCandle-warehouse branch
Ashgabat, Turkmenistan
Opening announced from 1 August 1893.
The primary source names an official candle-warehouse branch serving military churches and receiving candle ends for return.
A branch does not prove supply to every church, military unit or ship in the city.
A reference location for the settlement; the map does not establish the exact historical site.
SourcesThe link opens the issue. Find the printed page numbers above; they may differ from the image number.OdessaCandle-warehouse branch
Odesa, Ukraine
Opening announced from 1 August 1893.
The primary source names an official candle-warehouse branch serving military churches and receiving candle ends for return.
A branch does not prove supply to every church, military unit or ship in the city.
A reference location for the settlement; the map does not establish the exact historical site.
SourcesThe link opens the issue. Find the printed page numbers above; they may differ from the image number.NikolaevCandle-warehouse branch
Mykolaiv, Ukraine
Opening announced from 1 August 1893.
The primary source names an official candle-warehouse branch serving military churches and receiving candle ends for return.
A branch does not prove supply to every church, military unit or ship in the city.
A reference location for the settlement; the map does not establish the exact historical site.
SourcesThe link opens the issue. Find the printed page numbers above; they may differ from the image number.SevastopolCandle-warehouse branch
Sevastopol
Opening announced from 1 August 1893.
The primary source names an official candle-warehouse branch serving military churches and receiving candle ends for return.
A branch does not prove supply to every church, military unit or ship in the city.
A reference location for the settlement; the map does not establish the exact historical site.
SourcesThe link opens the issue. Find the printed page numbers above; they may differ from the image number.TiflisCandle-warehouse branch
Tbilisi, Georgia
Opening announced from 1 August 1893.
The primary source names an official candle-warehouse branch serving military churches and receiving candle ends for return.
A branch does not prove supply to every church, military unit or ship in the city.
A reference location for the settlement; the map does not establish the exact historical site.
SourcesThe link opens the issue. Find the printed page numbers above; they may differ from the image number.KarsCandle-warehouse branch
Kars, Türkiye
Opening announced from 1 August 1893.
The primary source names an official candle-warehouse branch serving military churches and receiving candle ends for return.
A branch does not prove supply to every church, military unit or ship in the city.
A reference location for the settlement; the map does not establish the exact historical site.
SourcesThe link opens the issue. Find the printed page numbers above; they may differ from the image number.WarsawCandle-warehouse branch
Warsaw, Poland
Opening announced from 1 August 1893.
The primary source names an official candle-warehouse branch serving military churches and receiving candle ends for return.
A branch does not prove supply to every church, military unit or ship in the city.
A reference location for the settlement; the map does not establish the exact historical site.
SourcesThe link opens the issue. Find the printed page numbers above; they may differ from the image number.BobruiskCandle-warehouse branch
Babruysk, Belarus
Opening announced from 1 September 1893.
The primary source names an official candle-warehouse branch serving military churches and receiving candle ends for return.
A branch does not prove supply to every church, military unit or ship in the city.
A reference location for the settlement; the map does not establish the exact historical site.
SourcesThe link opens the issue. Find the printed page numbers above; they may differ from the image number.AlexandropolCandle-warehouse branch
Gyumri, Armenia
Opening announced from 1 September 1893.
The primary source names an official candle-warehouse branch serving military churches and receiving candle ends for return.
A branch does not prove supply to every church, military unit or ship in the city.
A reference location for the settlement; the map does not establish the exact historical site.
SourcesThe link opens the issue. Find the printed page numbers above; they may differ from the image number.DvinskCandle-warehouse branch
Daugavpils, Latvia
Opening announced from 1 September 1893.
The primary source names an official candle-warehouse branch serving military churches and receiving candle ends for return.
A branch does not prove supply to every church, military unit or ship in the city.
A reference location for the settlement; the map does not establish the exact historical site.
SourcesThe link opens the issue. Find the printed page numbers above; they may differ from the image number.EkaterinoslavCandle-warehouse branch
Dnipro, Ukraine
Opening announced from 1 September 1893.
The primary source names an official candle-warehouse branch serving military churches and receiving candle ends for return.
A branch does not prove supply to every church, military unit or ship in the city.
A reference location for the settlement; the map does not establish the exact historical site.
SourcesThe link opens the issue. Find the printed page numbers above; they may differ from the image number.RigaCandle-warehouse branch
Riga, Latvia
Opening announced from 1 September 1893.
The primary source names an official candle-warehouse branch serving military churches and receiving candle ends for return.
A branch does not prove supply to every church, military unit or ship in the city.
A reference location for the settlement; the map does not establish the exact historical site.
SourcesThe link opens the issue. Find the printed page numbers above; they may differ from the image number.RevalCandle-warehouse branch
Tallinn, Estonia
Opening announced from 1 September 1893.
The primary source names an official candle-warehouse branch serving military churches and receiving candle ends for return.
A branch does not prove supply to every church, military unit or ship in the city.
A reference location for the settlement; the map does not establish the exact historical site.
SourcesThe link opens the issue. Find the printed page numbers above; they may differ from the image number.Port ArthurOuter geographic reach of operations
Lüshunkou, Dalian, China
The review was published in 1903; no individual shipment date is given.
The primary text says that operations with candles and candle ends extended as far as Port Arthur.
Port Arthur is established only as the geographic reach of operations. No warehouse, church, unit, ship or final recipient is named.
A reference location for the settlement; the map does not establish the exact historical site.
SourcesThe link opens the issue. Find the printed page numbers above; they may differ from the image number.
Based on the research register dated .
From a claim to the document
What the sources establish
Zelino: the production site
The 1893 description lists the workshop, candle-making equipment, storage and workers’ accommodation. It explains what the marker on the map represents: a wax-candle works.
Page 220 describes drawing machines, copper vessels and tables where candles were cut, finished and tied into bundles.
Military Clergy Herald, 1893, issue 7, pp. 219–221 · new tab
Branches: opening notices
Notices published in 1893 announce branch openings: in 15 towns from 1 August and six more from 1 September. They provide names and announced dates, but do not establish uninterrupted operation in later years.
Issue 14 allows two options: dispatch from the central Petersburg warehouse or directly from the works. The map therefore does not draw a single delivery route.
Why Port Arthur is in the title
“The area of shipments of candles and candle ends encompasses all of Russia as far as Port Arthur.”
Military Clergy Herald, 1903, issue 15, p. 471. English translation of the original Russian passage.
The passage explains the geographic extent of shipments and the difficulties involved. It does not name a warehouse in Port Arthur, an individual recipient or the route of a particular shipment.
Open the 1903 issue · new tab
All cited issues and pages
Each link opens a specific issue in a new tab. Find the printed page number; the viewer’s image number may differ. If the archive is temporarily unavailable, the bibliographic details remain here.
- Military Clergy Herald, 1893, issue 7, pp. 219–221
Opening and description of the Zelino works
- Military Clergy Herald, 1893, issue 14, pp. 420–421
Notices on candle-warehouse branches
- Military Clergy Herald, 1893, issue 15, pp. 454–455
Further notices on warehouse branches
- Military Clergy Herald, 1893, issue 18, pp. 547–548
Additions to the branch network
- Military Clergy Herald, 1902, issue 16, pp. 482–484
The central warehouse and distribution arrangements
- Military Clergy Herald, 1903, issue 15, pp. 471
Review of the works: the reference to Port Arthur
The 1893 lists establish the central warehouse and 21 branches, but not every recipient or uninterrupted operation of every point. Port Arthur is established only as a geographic limit of operations: the source identifies no branch, recipient, individual shipment or route there.
View evidenceA history to keep exploring
What this history means for Zelino today
Documents connect the surviving place with people, production and a wide distribution network. The Zelino 1893 project brings these records together and tells the story of preserving the historic works.
Do you have documents, photographs or information about the works and its connections? Contribute to the project →