Forms: 6 canel, (7–8 canole, 7 cannol), 7 cannell, cannal, 8 canal, cannil, kennel, (7–8 channel, 8–9 candle), 7– cannel. [Of northern, prob. Lancashire origin. Can’le, cannle is the Sc. and northern form of candle, and the opinion has been expressed, at least since early in the 18th c., that cannel-coal is really = ‘candle-coal.’ It does not appear in evidence that the pronunciation of candle as can’le goes back in Lancashire to the 16th c., though such may be the case. A greater difficulty is that it is doubtful whether the original name was not simply canel, rather than cannel coal: see the first mention in Leland 1538. But no other etymological conjecture yet offered will bear examination. The following quotations refer to the derivation:
a. 1734. North, Lives, I. 294. Famous for yielding the Canal (or Candle) coal. It is so termed, as I guess, because the manufacturers in that country use no candle, but work by the light of their coal fire.
1796. Kirwan, Min., II. 52. Cannel Coal. This is found chiefly in Lancashire, its proper name is Candle Coal, as it burns like a Candle, but Candles in that shire are called Cannels.
1811. Pinkerton, Petral., I. 572. Cannel coal, so called from the enunciation of the word candle, in Scotland and the north of England, because its flame is clear and pure, like that of a candle.
1836. Sir G. Head, Home Tour, 14. It seems to be the general opinion that having been used to light the men at their work, and serving as candle, it became by corruption ‘Cannel’ coal.
1875. Robinson, Whitby Gloss. (E. D. S.), Cannle, a candle. Cannle-coal or kennel-coal, so called because it burns without smoke like a candle.]
A bituminous coal (in Scotland called parrot-coal) that burns with a very bright flame, and, from its richness in volatile matter, is much used in the manufacture of coal oils and gas: its texture is sufficiently compact and hard to allow of its being cut and polished like jet.
1538. Leland, Itin., VII. 47. Mr. Bradeshau hath a place caullid Hawe a myle from Wigan. He hath founde moche Canel like Se Coole in his Grounde very profitable to hym.
1673. R. Blome, Brittania, in N. & Q., Ser. III. VII. 485/1. Wigan is famous for … the choicest Coal in England called cannell.
1690. B. E., Dict. Cant, Crew, Cannal, choice Coals … that Blaze and Burn pleasantly.
1700. Leigh, Lanc. & Chesh., in N. & Q., Ser. III. VII. 485/2. The Kennel near Haigh, from which by distillation in a retort, will come over a very severe vitriolic water.
1836. Sir G. Head, Home Tour, 14. In Liverpool, and elsewhere, it is advertised by boards and placards—‘Coal and Cannel sold here.’
1860. Tyndall, Glac., II. App. 437. Boghead Cannel … was once a mass of mud.
1864. Daily Tel., 16 July, 6/4. Advt., The ‘Curly’ Cannel of a small district in Flintshire yields a larger percentage of crude mineral oil, containing Paraffin, than any cannel.
attrib. 1869. Roscoe, Elem. Chem., 98. Cannel gas is said to be equal to 34.4 candles.
b. Also called cannel coal.
1610. Holland, Camden’s Brit., I. 735. Commonly called Canole cole.
1679. Plot, Staffordsh. (1686), 125. The Cannel-coal being the hardest, and of so close a texture, that it will take a passable polish.
a. 1728. Woodward, Nat. Hist. Fossils, I. (1729), I. 159 (J.). Even our Canal-cole nearly equals the foreign Jet.
1773. Gentl. Mag., May, 220/2. Here is a head of his present Majesty, cut in Cannil Coal, said to be a striking likeness.
1878. A. H. Green, Coal, i. 30. Cannel coal does not soil the fingers.
c. Occasionally, also channel coal, by assoc. with CANNEL sb.1 and its variant CHANNEL.
1669. Lister, in Ray’s Philos. Lett. (1718), 55. I do think them not Channel because they burn with much Difficulty.
1751. S. Whatley, Eng. Gazeteer, Wigan (Lanc.). Channel-coal, which, though a deep black like jet, may be taken up in a handkerchief without soiling it…. They make snuff-boxes and other toys of it.
d. Often (since 1700) written candle-coal.
1734. [see above].
1769. De Foe’s Tour Gt. Brit., III. 281. Between Wigan and Bolton, is found great Plenty of what they call Canel or Candle Coal.
1793. Statist. Acc. Scotl., VII. 424 (Jam.). At Blair, beds of an inflammable substance, having some resemblance of jet, here called candle-coal, or light coal.
1805. Forsyth, Beauties Scotl., II. 467. That light, hard, grey-coloured species called here candle coal.
