Genealogy Chat

Use this link:
http://www.worldthroughthelens.com/family-history/old-occupations.php


There are also these sites:

http://rmhh.co.uk/occup/

http://www.familyresearcher.co.uk/glossary/Dictionary-of-Old-Occupations-Index.html

http://www.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~usgwkidz/oldjobs.htm

On the A-L list I can only see down to BANKER. How do I view the rest ?

Brilliant - thank you! I had Googled but never found anything specific.

From Googling Paper Sorter Occupation:


PAPER SORTER AND COUNTER"
Job Description:
1) Sorts sheets of paper according to specified grade and examines them for defects, such as tears, cuts, roll marks and slime holes, and discards defective sheets.

2) Counts and stacks acceptable sheets and inserts identification marker between reams.

3) Segregates paper according to customer order and records amount and grade of separate orders.

Paper Sorter? what did they do exactly, and where ?

Ann of Green Gables

- by the way - what was the book and who wrote Ann of Green Gables - been buuging me - suppose I could get of GR and searching for ancesters and google it - Thank you for the
information - you have supplied more tinformation the Mining sites I have emailed

Safe to say you are a MINE of information

Many thanks


Irene Palmer

EDIT. - just google Anne of Green Gables - now I remember the story. Irene

Pug Locomotive Class - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Ltd. on 12/02/1924 by the Caprington and Auchlochan Collieries Ltd. The ... sites with tight curves for which 0-6-0 locomtoives were less well suited, ...

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pug_Locomotive_Class - 29k - Similar pages
Many locomotive manufacturers produced Pug type locomotives[4] mainly for shunting work and for use on industrial sites with tight curves for which 0-6-0 locomtoives were less well suited, despite their greater tractive effort capabilities.

22. INTERIOR VIEW OF NEW FAN HOUSE UPSHAFT CHIMNEY LOOKING WEST The Duplex Conoidal Fan is a single entry disk fan (see PA 61-21 and PA 61-22) which drew air from the No. 4 (Baltimore) shaft up the air-way through the cone, seen on the right, into the centrifugal fan, pictured here. The curved metal blades forced the air from the center of the fan to the tips of the blades and out the sheet metal exhaust chimney.


Dorrance Colliery Fan Complex, South side of Susquehanna Riv...
... Creator: Historic American Engineering Record creator; Related Names: ... The south entry, the curve of the fan housing, and brick updraft chimney are ... The Hollenback Cemetery, which adjoins the Dorrance Colliery property is in ...

www.loc.gov/pictures/collection/hh/item/PA1650/ - 35k - Similar pages

curves mentioned here in this article from a mining web site


" …. the spring pin, instead of resting directly upon the axlebox (of the trailing wheels), is fitted with a heart-shaped cam, this cam in turn bearing upon the axlebox. From the form given to the cam it follows that any lateral movement of the axle – the axle-boxes being made so as to permit lateral play – causes a slight lifting of the load resting on the trailing springs, and thus the tendency of the arrangement is always to keep the axle in the mid position. This ensures steadiness when running on a straight line; but at the same time the controlling power is not so great as to interfere with the free movement of the axle on curves. On the line where the engine is in use the curves vary from 5 chains to 2½ chains radius, and these are traversed with perfect ease."

possibly someone who made curved pit props!!! wild guess!

Any idea of 1881 Fitter C & M - trying to see if could be a Colliery Curve Maker by 1901
Have emailed Mining Memorial type site they have no ideas
Many thanks to all

Irene

Xylographer Made and used wooden blocks for block printing



Yardman 1) Farm worker 2) Railway worker in goods or engine yards
Yatman Gatekeeper
Yearman Man contracted for a year
Yeoman 1) Farmer who owns his own land rather than a tenant farmer; qualified to serve on juries and vote for shire representatives. More Info. Also See. 2) Assistant to an official. 3) Crewmember (Navy petty officer) in charge of ship's stores.

Zincographer Etched zinc plates for printing
Zitherist Played the zither - a flat, many-stringed instrument
Zoetrope Maker Made "zoetropes" - Optical cylindrical novelty containing a series of painted pictures, giving the impression of movement when rotated
Zoographer Describes and classifies animals

Wadsetter (Scottish) Creditor to whom a "wadset" is made. A wadset is a right by which lands, or other heritable subjects, are consigned to a creditor as a security for debt
Wafer Maker Made the wafers taken in Holy Communion
Waggoner Wagon or 4-wheeeled cart driver
Wailer Removed impurities and foreign bodies from coal in the mines
Wainwright Maker or repairer of wagons - "wains"
Wait / Wakeman Night-watchman
Waiter / Tide Waiter Customs officer who waited on the (high) tide (when vessels arrived) to collect duty on goods imported
Walker "Walked" over cloth after weaving, after wetting, to clean and thicken it - see Fuller
Waller 1) Brick or dry stone wall builder 2) In the Cheshire salt-works, makers of coarser grades of salt used in industrial processes, chemicals, fisheries and potteries.
Wanter / Want Catcher Mole catcher
Warder Jailer
Wardrobe Dealer Dealer in second-hand clothing
Warper 1) Set up the "warp" (thread) on looms 2) Moved boats by hauling on their "warps" (ropes)
Warrener A warrener maintains rabbit warrens, traps them and produces rabbit meat for the Laird. Warrens were the property of the lord of the manor
Washman Tin coater (tin plater)
Wasteman 1) Waste remover 2) Checked and maintained that mine workings were free of gas
Watch finisher Assembled time pieces (did not make the parts)
Watcher Employed as security in Customs bonded warehouses - to Watch the goods.
Watchman Town night-watchman
Water Bailiff 1) Maintained fishing rights on (usually) rivers - still in use 2) River based customs official
Water Gilder 1) Gilded metal surfaces by applying liquid amalgam, the mercury being afterwards removed by evaporation. 2) Trapped water fowl
Water Leader / Leder / Loder Transported and sold fresh water
Waterman Boatman who plies for hire - usually on rivers More Info.
Wattle Hurdle Maker Made wattle hurdles - panels of wattle fencing
Waulker / Waulkmiller Cloth worker - see Walker
Waver Weaver - from regional pronunciation
Way Maker Road builder
Way Man Road surveyor
Wayland A smith
Weather Spy Astrologer
Weaver The operative of a loom producing cloth More Info.
Webster / Webber Operator of looms; weaver - originally a female weaver
Weigher / Weigh Clerk Weighed landed goods on the dockside
Well Sinker Well digger
Wellmaster In charge of the village well and responsible for clean drinking water
Wellwright Made the winding gear for wells
Wet Glover Leather glove maker
Wet Nurse Woman who breast-fed babies for others
Wetter 1) Dampened paper for printing 2) Glass making worker
Whacker Horse or ox team driver
Wharfinger Owner or manager of a wharf
Wheel Tapper Railway worker - tapped wheels to detect cracks from the resultant ring
Wheeler 1) Made wheels 2) Spinning wheel attendant 3) Led pit ponies underground in the pits
Wheelwright Made or repaired wheels; wheeled carriages, etc.
Wherryman Ran a "wherry" - a large flat-bottomed sailing boat, used typically on rivers
Whig (Scottish) Horse driver
Whim / Whimseyman Employed driving mine winding gear carrying men and materials up and down mine shafts. More Info.
Whipcord Maker Whip Maker
Whipper-in Managed the hunting hounds
Whipping Boy He was whipped in place of royal miscreants. Not a coveted position!
Whit Cooper Made barrels and other items from tin
White Limer Plastered walls with lime
Whitear Hide cleaner
Whitesmith Tinsmith
Whitster / Whitester / Whitener Cloth bleacher More Info.
Whitening Roll Maker Made whitening (whitewash) for whitening walls
Whitewing Street sweeper
Whittawer 1) Made saddles and harnesses 2) Prepared white leather
Willeyer Fed fibres into a "willeying" machine to separate and comb them for carding, often blending fibres in the process
Willow Feeder Operated a self-acting Willow - a waste cleaner in cotton or woolen mills - Drawing
Willow Plaiter / Weaver Basket maker
Winder 1) Transferred yarn from bobbins ready for weaving More Info. More Info.
2) Operated the winding gear at a mine pithead
Windster Silk weaver
Wire Drawer Made wire by drawing the hot metal through dies
Wireworker Works with wire to produce mesh, cages, grilles etc.
WOAD Dyer Produced and dyed cloth using Woad. More Info.
Woodbreaker Made wooden casks
Wood Ranger/Reeve
/Ward/Man
Employed in maintenance & protection of woodlands
Wool Comber Worked machinery combing - separating - fibres for spinning
Wool Driver Carried wool to market
Wool Factor Wool merchant's agent
Wool Grower Sheep farmer
Wool Billy Piecer Pieced together broken yarns in the mill
Wool Stapler / Sorter / Man Checked the length and quality of the raw wool and graded the wool fibres
Wool Winder Made up balls of woollen yarn for sale
Woolsted / Worsted Man Woollen cloth seller - derived from worsted
Wright Skilled workman, especially in constructing items. Used together with the trade i.e. wheelwright
Wyrth Labourer

Vatman 1) Worked with vats in wine & beer making 2) Put pulp into moulds for paper-making
Venator / Venur Huntsman
Verderer Official in charge of the Royal Forests
Verge Maker Made spindles for watch and clock-making
Verger Priest's or Vicar's assistant
Verrier Glazier - from French
Vestment Maker Made vestments for the clergy
Viceman A smith who works at the vice instead of the anvil
Victualler 1) A tavern keeper - see Licensed Victualler. 2) Provided army, navy, or merchant ships with food supplies
Viewer Manager in the mines
Villein Paid dues to Lord of the manor for land use
Vintager Grape grower; wine maker
Vintner / Vinter Wine merchant
Violin string maker Made "catgut" violin strings. More Info.
Virginal Player Played the virginal - similar to a harpsichord
Vocalist A singer
Vulcan Blacksmith

Tavern or innkeeper - from the Latin
Tabler Boarding House keeper
Tackler Overlooker of weaving shed workers
Taker Off / In Unhitched coal tubs from an endless rope system - usually children
Tallow Chandler Candle maker/seller
Tally Clerk As today, tallied goods into and out of warehouses, ships etc.
Tallyman / Tally Fellow 1) Sold goods on instalment plan. 2) Local official who tallied the allowed number of persons in a dwelling for health reasons - usually 3 adults and four children
Tambour Worker Worked with embroidery on a (circular) Tambour Frame
Tan Bark Stripper Collected tree bark used for tanning leather
Tanner Tanned (cured) animal hides for leather making. Still used. More Info.
Tanner's Beamsman Draped part-cured skins over a Tanners Beam, a flat slab of wood or stone, to scrape off the remaining flesh, fat and hair
Taper Weaver Made candle wicks
Tapiter / Tapicer Weaver of figured cloth or tapestry
Tapley Put the taps in ale casks
Tapster Barman / woman
Tar Boy Applied tar (antiseptic) to sheep when nicked by shearers
Tasker Reaper
Tasseler Made tassels for furnishings
Taverner Innkeeper
Tawer / Tawyer Made white leather
Teamster / Teamer / Teamer Man Driver of a team horses used for hauling
Teemer 1) Emptied grain brought by cart 2) Poured molten steel into moulds
Teerer/Tierer/Tier Boy Spread a fresh surface of colour on the printer's 'pad' each time he used it to print calico
Teizer Removed slag from molten glass (18c glass industry)
Tenter / Tenterer 1) Tenterer - Someone who, after cloth was dyed, stretched it on a frame, called a "Tent" for drying . This frame was fitted with hooks known as "Tenterhooks" - about which we all know! Photo (1950) 2) The term was also used for a person who looked after or watched something. .i.e. Tip tenter - person inspecting finished shuttle tips after manufacture. (Tenter - from Tender, to tend) More Info.
Textor Weaver
Thacker / Thatcher Roof thatcher, using straw or, more usually, reeds
Theemaker Shoemaker
Thirdborough Under-constable
Thresher Separated chaff from grain
Throstle Spinner Attended a spinning machine known as a Throstle, due to the noise it made, which resembled a lark, or throstle. The machine was used for the continuous spinning of cotton (or wool) simultaneously onto long rows of, perhaps 300 or 400, pirns or bobbins. More Info. More Info. Drawing.
Throwster / Thrower Textile worker attending machine which twisted together strands of fibre into yarn - cotton, silk, wool etc.
Tickneyman / woman Travelling earthenware seller
Tide Gauger / Surveyor Monitored the state of the tides
Tide Waiter / Tidesman Customs inspector who boarded ship on arrival to enforce customs regulations
Tiger Liveried pageboy / groom
Tiler Worked with roof and floor tiles
Tiller Farmer
Tillman Ploughman
Timekeeper A person responsible for making sure things happened on time e.g. worker
arriving or departing, trains, coaches, omnibuses, etc.
Times Ironer Servant who literally ironed The Times newspaper!
Timoneer A ship's helmsman (from French, timonier)
Tinctor Dyer
Tinker An itinerant tin pot and pan seller, repairman / knife sharpener - also Iggler
Tinner 1) Tin miner 2) Tinsmith
Tinsmith Worked with tin
Tinter / Teinter Artists who tinted photographs before colour was available
Tipper Tipped arrows etc. with metal
Tippler Alehouse keeper - It was also the name for an outside "toilet"!! (hole in the ground!)
Tipstaff 1) Court official 2) Policeman
Tirewoman 1) Female dresser - esp. theatrical 2) Milliner 3) Hairdresser
Tixtor Weaver
Tobacco Spinner Made cigars
Todhunter Employed by the parish to hunt foxes
Toe Rag Worked in the docks as a corn porter
Toilinet Maker / Knotter Made "toilinet" - a kind of quilting - The knotter made the knots at the edges
Toller / Tollie / Tollman / Tollgate Keeper Collected road tolls at a Toll Gate/House
Tonsor Barber - from Latin
Tool Helver Tool handle maker
Topman Seaman - worked in the "tops" (aloft) on sailing ships
Top Sawyer Upper man in a sawpit - using a long two-man saw
Topsman Head cattle drover
Tosher Scratched a living by scavenging the Victorian sewers
Touch holer Worked in gun making
Tow Card Maker Made "tow cards" used in weaving mills
Town Chamberlain Looked after a town's affairs
Town Crier "Cried" public announcements and used a bell to get attention
Town Husband Collected dues from fathers of illegitimate children of the parish for their upkeep
Townsman Commercial traveller
Townswaiter Customs man
Tozer Worked in the mills "tosing" (teasing) the cloth
Trace Maker/Tracer Worked in a draughting office, copying engineering diagrams, using tracing paper. In the days before photocopying, plans and diagrams for mining and manufacturing industries were copied by hand. It required accuracy, patience and a knack for using the pen without producing ink blots
Trammer Young mineworker
Trampler Lawyer
Tranqueter Made barrel hoops
Translator In the shoe trade - a person who translates or remakes old shoe parts into a new shoe. i.e. a cobbler
Tranter Peddler, often hiring himself out with his horse and cart
Trapper Opened and shut doors for miners
Traveller 1) A Gypsy 2) Travelling salesman
Travers Toll bridge collector
Treen Maker Made wooden domestic goods
Treenail Maker Made "treenails" - long wooden pins used in shipbuilding
Trencher Maker Made wooden "trenchers" - platters for serving or cutting food
Trencherman Cook
Trimmer 1) Ship's crewman who trimmed coal in ship's bunkers 2) Dockworker who trimmed grain or bulk cargo in ship's hold to spread it out evenly
Troacher Peddler
Troner Official weigher in markets
Trouchman / Truchman Interpreter
Trouncer
Drayman's assistant (Brewers)
Trover Smuggler
Truchman Interpreter
Trugger / Trug maker Made "trugs" - shallow baskets
Trusser Hay baler - made up hay trusses
Tubber Made tubs and barrels - a cooper
Tubedrawer Made tubes
Tubman 1) English barrister 2) Court official 3) Filled tubs in a coalmine
Tucker Cleaned cloth goods
Tucker-in Chambermaid who tucked in the bed-clothing
Turncock Worked for the local water company, opening and closing the water supply. He also had to inform householders that their water was being turned off.
Turner 1) Lathe worker 2) Gymnast esp. street performers
Turnkey Jailer
Turning Boy Weaver's assistant - turned the loom bar
Turnpike Keeper Collected road tolls
Turnspit Boy who turned the spit handle, roasting meat. (Medieval)
Tweeny / Tweenie Maid employed "between the stairs" assisting cook and housemaids
Twiller Produced a raised diagonal rib appearance in fabric
Twist Hand Used a lace-making machine
Twister / Twisterer Worked a machine twisting the yarns or threads Ring Frame Twister
Tyresmith Blacksmith who specilised in making the iron bands (tyres) around wooden cart wheels before the introduction of rubber, later pneumatic tyres.

Slapper / Slaper Pottery worker who prepared the clay for the potter
Slasher Applied size (Slasher Sizing) to the warp thread in weaving, to strengthen it and facilitate the weaving process. More Info.
Slater Roofer
Slate Enameller Painted decorative slate as used in fire surrrounds etc.
Slate River Was employed to cleave blocks of quarried slate in the making of slates for roofing etc. (River pronounced as in diver)
Slaymaker Made the reeds or slays used in weaving. Slays (wooden pegs) or reeds were used to separate the threads on the loom
Sledman Moved goods by sled
Slinger Person who used slings for loading goods on ships, wagons etc.
Slopseller 1) Slopshop keeper - readymade clothes 2) Basket seller
Slubber Prepared cotton for spinning, removing the "slubs" or imperfections in the yarn.
Slubber Doffer Removed the empty bobbins from the loom spindles
Slubbing Frame Fitter Installed and maintained a Slubbing Frame, used in the preparation of cotton ready for spinning
Smallware Maker Made "smallware" - tapes, braids, ribbons etc.
Smelter 1) Smelt fisherman 2) Smelter in an iron foundry
Smiddy Smith - sometimes still used as a nickname for Smith surname
Smith Metal worker - see also Engine Smith, Blacksmith, Fender Smith
Smith's Striker A blacksmith who wielded a hammer whilst another blacksmith held the work-piece with tongs in the right position on the anvil

Smoke Doctor Specialist in the construction or repair of chimneys
Smugsmith Smuggler
Snobscat / Snob Shoe repairer
Snuffer Maker Made candle snuffers
Soaper / Soper / Soap Boiler Soap Maker
Sojourn Clothier Travelling clothes salesman
Sortor Tailor
Souter Shoe maker
Sp Dealer Enumerators' abbreviation for a Spirit Dealer
Spallier Tin worker's assistant
Sperviter Sparrow keeper
Spicer Spice dealer / grocer
Spindle & Fly Maker Made the metal Spindles and Fly used in spinning machines
Spinner Spun the yarn to make cloth More Info. More Info. Spinning Mule
Spinster 1) A woman who spins 2) unmarried woman
Splitter Worked a machine splitting stone, timber etc. or did so by hand
Spooner Spoon maker
Spuller Inspected yarn, to see that it is well spun, and fit for the loom
Sprig Maker A weaver of fine lace sprigs applique. eg 'Honiton' Lace in Devon

Spring Smith Made the springs (usually leaf) used in carriages
Spurrer / Spurrier Made spurs
Squire / Esquire 1) Country landed gentleman 2) Magistrate or justice of the peace 3) Knight's attendant 4) Professional man
Stabler Ostler
Stab-rag Tailor (military slang) mid 19c - also Rag-stabber (slang)
Stallman Market stall holder
Stampman Worked an ore-crushing machine
Stationary Engine Driver Operated steam factory engine, used for all processes, usually linked by a system of shafts, pulleys and belts
Stationary Engineer Maintained the factory steam engine and machinery
Statist Politician
Staymaker Corset maker
Steam Hammer Driver Operated a large steam-operated hammer to forge iron and steel. Invented in Manchester in 1837 by George Naismith
Steeplejack Worked on steeples, chimneys, flagpoles etc - still exists
Steersman Ship's helmsman
Stenciller Itinerant tradesmen who travelled around decorating the interior walls of houses with stencils to avoid the prohibitive cost of wallpaper
Stenterer Worked a cloth finishing machine
Step Boy Helped passengers on and off coaches
Stick Maker Made walking sticks
Stick Mounter Decorated walking sticks with silver, gold, bone or ivory mountings
Still Room Maid Worked in the Still-Room in a large Victorian household, answerable to both the housekeeper and the cook, where she would concoct the kitchen cleaners, soaps, candles and cosmetics for the lady of the house. It also housed the jams pickles etc. that the cook would make
Stockinger Knitter, weaver or seller of stockings
Stock Turner Turned the wooden stocks used in guns
Stoker Tended and fed coal to boilers in mills and aboard ship
Stoker - Refuse Destructor Fed refuse to an incinerator
Stone Dresser Prepared quarried stone for building. This would include cutting it into regular sized blocks with a reasonably even surface
Stone Picker Removed stones from fields before planting
Stoneman / Stonewarden Highway surveyor
Stover / Stever/ Staver The senior member of a partnership of miners and in charge at the surface
Stowyer Stowed nets on fishing boats
Stravaiger Vagrant
Strawman (16/17c) Hired to give false evidence for the prosecution in Court
Straw Joiner Thatcher (of roofs)
Straw Plaiter Plaited straw for use in hat-making
Streaker Laid out bodies for burial
Street Orderly/Boy Street cleaner
Strickler Skimmed off the scum from molten iron in a mould
Stretcher / Tenter Stretched fabrics after weaving on a frame with hooks - origin of saying "on tenterhooks"
Striker / Stryker 1) Blacksmith's assistant 2) Harpoon man on a whaler
Stripper Cleaned the carding machines in mills
Stringer Made bowstrings
Stroller 1) A vagabond, vagrant; an itinerant beggar or pedlar. 2) An itinerant actor; a strolling player.
Stuff Gownsman Junior barrister
Stuff Weaver Wove "stuff" - a coarse cloth
Sucksmith Made Ploughshares
Sugar Baker 1) Sugar Refiner 2) Made confectionery or cake decorations
3) Fancy baker. More Info.
Sumner Summoner or Apparitor
Sumpter Porter
Supercargo Officer on a chartered merchant ship who is in charge of cargo and the commercial concerns of the ship (on behalf of the charterers) - Still in use
Sutler Merchant or peddler in an army camp
Swailer 1) Miller 2) Grain dealer
Swain Herdsman
Swaith Maker A Swaith / Swathe was (usually) a cotton or silk shroud used for burial
Sweep Chimneysweep
Swell Maker Made shallow baskets
Swiller A basket weaver/maker - an old Cumberland name
Swineyard / Swineherd Pig Keeper
Swingler Beat flax to remove the coarse parts
Sword Cutler Made swords

Sachrist / Sachristan Person retained in a cathedral to copy out music for the choir, and take care of the books. One who is in charge of a sacristy. A sexton.
Saddle Tree Maker Made the wooden frames around which the saddle was formed with leather
Saddler One who makes, repairs or sells saddles or other furnishings for horses
Safernman Grower of Saffron.
Saggar Maker /
Saggar Maker's Bottom Knocker Made saggars (fired clay containers used to hold ceramic items in the kiln whilst firing.) The Saggar Maker's Bottom Knocker was the saggar maker's assistant, usually a young boy, who was responsible for knocking clay into a large metal hoop using a huge flat mallet called a mawl, to form the bottom of the saggar. The saggar maker would then remove the hoop, and form the sides of the saggar onto the base - a much more skilled job than bottom-knocking (testing for cracks by knocking). Some saggar-makers also had a frame filler, who did a very similar job to the bottom knocker, but prepared the clay to make the sides of the saggars, rather than the bottom. More Info.
Saloonist Saloon keeper
Salt Boiler Obtained salt from boiling salt water
Salter / Saucer Made or dealt in salt
Saltpetre Man Collected urine and dung, used in the manufacture of saltpetre. More Info.
Sarcinet Weaver Silk weaver
Sandesman Ambassador or messenger
Sawbones Physician
Sawyer Timber mill/pit worker, sawing timber
Say Weaver Made "say" - used in making table cloths bedding etc.
Scagiola Maker Made imitation marble
Scappler Rough-shaped stone before final dressing by a stonemason
Scavelman Cleaned and maintained waterways and ditches
Scavenger / Scaleraker 1) Street cleaner 2) Scavenger - also a child employed in a spinning mill to collect loose cotton lying about the floor under machinery
Schrimpschonger Artisan carving bone, ivory, wood etc.
Schumacker Shoemaker. Formula 1 champion driver!!!! More Info.
Scotch Draper / Scotchman Sold goods door to door on instalment payments
Scribe Clerk - writer
Scriber Marked bales of cotton on the docks with weight prior to being sold by brokers
Scribler A person who tends a wool/cotton-combing machine called a Scribler - the first process in carding the yarn
Scribbler Minor or worthless author
Scrimer Fencing master
Scrivenor/er 1) Professional or public copyist or writer 2) notary public
Scrutineer Election judge
Scutcher Beat flax to soften the straw
Scullery Maid Female servant who was given the menial tasks
Scullerman Sculled a boat, (rather than rowing it) in ports/rivers as a ferry
Scullion Male servant who was given the menial tasks
Sea Fencibles The Sea Fencibles were established by Order in Council in May 1798 to defend the coast from invasion; they comprised "all such of the inhabitants of the towns and villages of Great Britain as shall voluntarily offer themselves for the defence of the coast". They were taught to use musket, pike and cannon. They were to assist in the manning of defensive positions (Martello towers), plus coastal signal stations and eventually given small boats to patrol harbours. They were to be paid one shilling per day served. It was attractive to fishermen and the like as you were given immunity from being pressed into the Navy. They were organised into districts, commanded by Naval Officers. They grew to their maximum strength in 1810, when there were over 23,000 of them and were disbanded at the end of the wars in 1814.
Seal Presser Glassmaking - sealed the bath to prevent air spoiling the glass surface
Searcher Customs man (today called a rummager - self descriptive) who searched for contraband
Secret Springer Watch spring maker
Seedsman Sower or dealer in seeds
Seeker of the Dead During the Plague, old women woere employed to diagnose the Plague from the buboes and count the dead to enable the compilation of Bills of Mortality, for which they were paid from 3 to 4 pence per corpse. Risky job!
Self-acting Minder
Self Actor Minder Watched and minded the 'Self Acting Mule' - the name of a multi thread spinning machine. The original Mule was hand operated and was invented by Samuel Crompton of Bolton in 1779. It was made self-acting by Richard Roberts in 1830. More Info. - also see Throstle Spinner and Spinner
Semi Lorer Made leather thongs
Sempster / Sempstress / Sewster Seamstress
Seneschal Senior steward at the manor
Sewer Hunter Scavenged in the sewers
Sewer Rat Bricklayer who made and repaired sewers and tunnels
Sewing Clerk Oversaw and collected clothing piecework
Sexton Church caretaker - sometimes dug graves or rang the bells
Shagreen Casemaker Worked with shagreen leather
Shallooner See Chaloner
Shampooer Masseur/masseuse in a Turkish baths
Shantyman Woodman, lumberman
Sharecropper Tenant farmer whose pay was a fixed part of the crop
Shearer As today, sheared the fleece from sheep
Shearman / Sherman 1) Skilled worker who sheared the nap from cloth - also Cropper 2) Cutter of metal.
Sheath Maker Made sword and dagger scabbards
Sheepman Shepherd
Shepster 1) Dressmaker 2) Sheep Shearer
Sheriff Representative of Royal office in a Shire. More Info.
Shingler Worked with an Iron Puddler, manipulating puddled balls of iron on an anvil
Ship's Husband Supplied stores for and maintained ships in dock
Ship Master Ship's Captain - still used today - often also the vessel's owner
Shipwright Builder and repairer of ships
Shoe Finder Sold cobbler's tools
Shoesmith 1) Cobbler 2) Shoed horses
Shoe Wiper Polished shoes - a boot-boy
Shot Firer Employed blasting in quarries
Shrager Trimmed and pruned trees
Shrieve / Shriever Sheriff
Shuffler Farm yardman
Shunter Moved - shunted - rolling stock around in railway yards to make up, and break down, goods trains
Shuttle Maker Made the wooden shuttles for the looms
Shuttle Tip Maker Made the pointed steel shuttle tips and made in many different designs. A very skilled job as the tips had to withstand being hammered to make the shuttles fly through the yarns from one side of the loom to the other and had to have aerodynamic properties. Forged by hammering red-hot steel
Sick Visitor Employed by Friendly Societies, who paid benefits to sick people, to ensure they were entitled to receive/continue to receive benefits.
Sickleman Reaper
Sidesman Churchwarden's assistant - esp. in church services
Silkman Person engaged in the manufacture and or sale of silk
Silk Drawer Drew silk from silk waste for spinning More Info.
Silk Dresser Prepared the silk for weaving
Silk Engine Turner Worked on automatic silk weaving looms
Silk Mercer Silk merchant
Silk Piecer Joined the broken threads in the silk spinning mills
Silk Staff Man Probably a worker more on a permanant rather than itinerary position.
Silk Steward Manager of a silk weaving/spinning/winding and cleaning room
Silk Thrower/Throwster Employed in the silk weaving industry, twisting silk into yarn
Silk Twister Silk Spinner (from the raw)
Silk Winder Wound the silk from the silkworm cocoons onto bobbins
Silker Bound the ends of the silk fabric to prevent fraying
Simpler Agriculturalist (herbalist)
Sinker Sunk shafts for mining
Sinker Maker Made lead weights used with hosiery knitting machines, (Nottingham Area)
Sissor / Cissor Tailor
Sizer Applied size to cloth in manufacture
Skepper / Skelper Beehive maker/seller
Skinkster Alehouse tapster
Skinner 1) Dealer in hides 2) Mule driver
Skip Maker Made ski

Rack Maiden Girl employed dressing ore in the Cornwall tin mines
Raff Merchant Sold fibre used to make raffia bags etc.
Raffman Dealer in "raff" - saleable rubbish
Rag Cutter Cut rags into small pieces for papermaking
Rag Gatherers Cleared rags from mill machinery - usually children
Rag Man / Rag and Bone Man Toured the streets in his cart collecting rags and any old useable discarded items
Rag Picker Sorted useable items from rag collection
Rag-stabber Tailor (slang) mid 19c - also Stab-rag (military slang)
Raker Street cleaner
Ratoner Rat Catcher
Rattlewatch Town watchman
Reacher for Drawing Specific occupation in the cotton/silk weaving mills. Each thread has to be Drawn through the Eye on a Heald, ready for the loom and then separately picked out from the Beam of warp threads by the Reacher
Rectifier Distilled alcohol
Redar Interpreted dreams
Redman / Redeman Responsible for maintaining the haulageways and passages in a coal mine
Reddleman Sold the dye used by farmers to mark their sheep
Redsmith Goldsmith
Reeder Used reeds for thatching and hedging
Reedmaker 1) Made weaving reeds - a reed is a comb-like device for 'beating' the weft thread into place as it is passed by the shuttle, the warp threads passing between the teeth of the reed 2) Made reeds or pipes for musical instruments 3) Made reed cloth 4) Made tapestry combs
Reed & Heald Maker Also Reed Maker (above). Made equipment for the separation of the weft thread on cloth-weaving looms. More Info.
Reeler Operated machinery winding yarn onto bobbins
Reeve 1) Churchwarden 2) Royal or Manorial elected or appointed official
Reever Shriever; Sherriff
Regarder Surveyed woodland, hedges and fences
Registrar As today - registered events; land purchases, births, deaths etc.
Relieving Officer Official of the Poor Law Union to whom the poor or retarded persons in the parish could apply for poor relief
Renovator Repaired clothing
Resurrection Man Apart from using the bodies of hanged criminals, dissection was illegal, so 17c. British doctors took to breaking the law. 'Resurrection men' would look for recent burials, dig up the corpse and sell it to a doctor. At £3 a body, you could make a decent living out of the practice. Resurrection men became so unpopular that they ran the risk of being torn to pieces if caught by a mob.
Revenuer / Renenue Man Tax collector
Rice Dressser Removed the chaff, straw, small grains etc. to clean up rice grains for human consumption. Rice skins are polished off to give the white grain we normally use
Rickmaster Captain of Horse
Riddler Wool stapler
Riding Officer Employed by the Revenue to patrol 4-10 miles of coastline to detect smugglers. Paid no more than a farmer's labourer and hated, so dangerous. 18th century.
Riftere Reaper
Rigger Hoist tackle worker - esp. running and dismantling rigging of ships
Ring Spinner Operated a Ring Spinning Machine - Ring spinning was/is a method for the continuous spinning of cotton. More Info.
Ripper / Rippier Seller of fish
Riverman Worked riverboats
Roadman 1) Worked on building and or maintaining roads - often had a stretch of road which he was responsible for filling in potholes etc. - usually a mile 2) A tramp or vagrant was also often referred to as a Roadman
Rockgetter Rock salt miner
Rockman Worked in the quarries, usually placing charges
Rodman / Poleman Surveyor's assistant - held the rod for the surveyor's theodolite observation
Roll Turner Carded yarn into rolls prior to spinning
Roller Coverer Covered the rollers in spinning
Rolley Man Delivery man
Rolleyway Man Maintained the mine's underground roadways
Roman Cementer / Plasterer Used "Roman Cement" - used in stuccoing
Rope Runner Accompanied sets of drams or tubs on the rope haulage system in a Colliery for the purpose of changing over the rope or ropes at the end of the run
Roper 1) Made rope or nets 2) Cotton spinning operative
Rover 1) Archer 2) Loaded cotton yarn onto bobbins, giving the yarn a twist, (Roving) after the Carding and Combing processes.
Rubbisher / Rubbler Sorted small stones in the quarries
Rugman Dealer in rugs
Rule Maker Made and calibrated rulers (for measurement)
Rully Man A Cart man - equivalent to today's lorry or truck driver
Runner 1) Runner or messenger for the magistrates -Bow Street Runner 2) Smuggler

Quarantine (Station) From 1728, some Customs officials - Quarantines - were given the responsibility of watching quarantine hulks anchored offshore to ensure nobody left them before their period of quarantine had expired on arriving from abroad.
Quarrel Picker Glazier
Quarrier / Quarry Man Quarry worker (!)
Quay Clerk Clerk who worked at a wharf or quay, and still does so today
Quiller Operated machinery winding yarn onto quills or spools A quill is a reed on to which the thread of the weft was wound when weaving cloth. More Info.
Quilter / Quiltress Quilted material
Quister Bleached articles
Qwylwryghte Wheelwright

Rack Maiden Girl employed dressing ore in the Cornwall tin mines
Raff Merchant Sold fibre used to make raffia bags etc.
Raffman Dealer in "raff" - saleable rubbish
Rag Cutter Cut rags into small pieces for papermaking
Rag Gatherers Cleared rags from mill machinery - usually children
Rag Man / Rag and Bone Man Toured the streets in his cart collecting rags and any old useable discarded items
Rag Picker Sorted useable items from rag collection
Rag-stabber Tailor (slang) mid 19c - also Stab-rag (military slang)
Raker Street cleaner
Ratoner Rat Catcher
Rattlewatch Town watchman
Reacher for Drawing Specific occupation in the cotton/silk weaving mills. Each thread has to be Drawn through the Eye on a Heald, ready for the loom and then separately picked out from the Beam of warp threads by the Reacher
Rectifier Distilled alcohol
Redar Interpreted dreams
Redman / Redeman Responsible for maintaining the haulageways and passages in a coal mine
Reddleman Sold the dye used by farmers to mark their sheep
Redsmith Goldsmith
Reeder Used reeds for thatching and hedging
Reedmaker 1) Made weaving reeds - a reed is a comb-like device for 'beating' the weft thread into place as it is passed by the shuttle, the warp threads passing between the teeth of the reed 2) Made reeds or pipes for musical instruments 3) Made reed cloth 4) Made tapestry combs
Reed & Heald Maker Also Reed Maker (above). Made equipment for the separation of the weft thread on cloth-weaving looms. More Info.
Reeler Operated machinery winding yarn onto bobbins
Reeve 1) Churchwarden 2) Royal or Manorial elected or appointed official
Reever Shriever; Sherriff
Regarder Surveyed woodland, hedges and fences
Registrar As today - registered events; land purchases, births, deaths etc.
Relieving Officer Official of the Poor Law Union to whom the poor or retarded persons in the parish could apply for poor relief
Renovator Repaired clothing
Resurrection Man Apart from using the bodies of hanged criminals, dissection was illegal, so 17c. British doctors took to breaking the law. 'Resurrection men' would look for recent burials, dig up the corpse and sell it to a doctor. At £3 a body, you could make a decent living out of the practice. Resurrection men became so unpopular that they ran the risk of being torn to pieces if caught by a mob.
Revenuer / Renenue Man Tax collector
Rice Dressser Removed the chaff, straw, small grains etc. to clean up rice grains for human consumption. Rice skins are polished off to give the white grain we normally use
Rickmaster Captain of Horse
Riddler Wool stapler
Riding Officer Employed by the Revenue to patrol 4-10 miles of coastline to detect smugglers. Paid no more than a farmer's labourer and hated, so dangerous. 18th century.
Riftere Reaper
Rigger Hoist tackle worker - esp. running and dismantling rigging of ships
Ring Spinner Operated a Ring Spinning Machine - Ring spinning was/is a method for the continuous spinning of cotton. More Info.
Ripper / Rippier Seller of fish
Riverman Worked riverboats
Roadman 1) Worked on building and or maintaining roads - often had a stretch of road which he was responsible for filling in potholes etc. - usually a mile 2) A tramp or vagrant was also often referred to as a Roadman
Rockgetter Rock salt miner
Rockman Worked in the quarries, usually placing charges
Rodman / Poleman Surveyor's assistant - held the rod for the surveyor's theodolite observation
Roll Turner Carded yarn into rolls prior to spinning
Roller Coverer Covered the rollers in spinning
Rolley Man Delivery man
Rolleyway Man Maintained the mine's underground roadways
Roman Cementer / Plasterer Used "Roman Cement" - used in stuccoing
Rope Runner Accompanied sets of drams or tubs on the rope haulage system in a Colliery for the purpose of changing over the rope or ropes at the end of the run
Roper 1) Made rope or nets 2) Cotton spinning operative
Rover 1) Archer 2) Loaded cotton yarn onto bobbins, giving the yarn a twist, (Roving) after the Carding and Combing processes.
Rubbisher / Rubbler Sorted small stones in the quarries
Rugman Dealer in rugs
Rule Maker Made and calibrated rulers (for measurement)
Rully Man A Cart man - equivalent to today's lorry or truck driver
Runner 1) Runner or messenger for the magistrates -Bow Street Runner 2) Smuggler

interesting