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Occupation COAKER

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JulieWalles

JulieWalles Report 10 Oct 2017 10:15

Hello Peeps,

I have come across a baptism record that matches names dates place etc except the fathers occupation. He is listed as a coaker on the baptism record but on all other records - later census returns he was a Steel Melter.

I have googled but cannot find a definition of a coaker.
Can anyone shed any light on this for me

many thanks
Julie

MargaretM

MargaretM Report 10 Oct 2017 11:34

Closest thing that I can see:

Coke Drawer
Drew the finshed coke from the retort in which coal was heated to produce coke.

Researching:
Great grandmother Dorothy Bean nee Abbott (1858-1908)

KathleenBell

KathleenBell Report 10 Oct 2017 11:54

Where did you find the baptism record? Could you give the details so we can look for ourselves?

Kath. x

SuffolkVera

SuffolkVera Report 10 Oct 2017 11:57

This is just a guess but there would have to be furnaces to melt the steel and I wonder if he could have shovelled coke in to the furnaces to keep them going - a sort of stoker. He may have later been promoted to dealing with the actual melting of the steel.

Like Margaret, I haven't found anything closer than coke drawer.

KathleenBell

KathleenBell Report 10 Oct 2017 12:03

There is a record on the 1871 census for a family called Parker in Monmouthshire. The head of the household is William Parker and his occupation is given as Coaker. It is very clearly written so no doubt about the word.

the details are here:-

Registration district Abergavenny
Archive reference RG10
Piece number 5312
Folio 36
Page 15
Record set 1871 England, Wales & Scotland Census

The other men on the page worked in either Iron Works, a forge or a coal mine, so it could be something to do with the iron works.

Kath. x

Chris Ho :)

Chris Ho :) Report 10 Oct 2017 13:38

http://newspapers.library.wales/view/3396740/3396745/41/

(also mentioned in above article)

Chris :)

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blaenavon_Ironworks

(related to above)

SylviaInCanada

SylviaInCanada Report 11 Oct 2017 00:35

I suspect it is a mis-spelling, and should be Coker ......... a person who shovels coke into a furnace

He then either worked his way up to be a Steel Melter, or exaggerated his occupation to that!

Researching:
My brother, photo taken in September 1991 just a couple of weeks before he died. ............................................................ To help us and to get better results, please post as much detail as you can, especially name, date(s) and place. Also say what you already know.

Kense

Kense Report 18 Oct 2017 09:20

There is an Isaac Bridgeman in the 1881 census (RG11/5327/126/3) who is a coaker and written above that is Coke burner.

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