Genealogy Chat

Lets see how many weird or unusal occupations our ancestors had.

Sorry, my ancestors had commonplace occupations: farmers, teachers, carpenters, etc. The most uncommon (today's standards) are piano stringer and rope maker.

All boring Ag Labs in husband's tree! I do have a house painter & decorator and a coal hewer in mine though! Wish my G Grandad was still around - I could do with my hallway decorated! Sue

I've got a coal hewer on my tree aswell. I've also got a Huckster (whatever that was!) Kerry

Ive got a glass embosser whatever that is

Pewterer, Coal Porter, Coal Merchants, Artificer Artisan (?), Gun Factory (Enfield) workers, Ostlers, and a GGrandfather who worked at Covent Garden and lost an eye when a box of oranges fell on him! Among the women, fancy basket liner, servants and chars. Not a flipping millionaire among 'em! Oh and on the Old Bailey site, a young lady (who COULD be an ancestor)done for pickpocketing and sentenced to death!! (later reprieved and transported instead)! Dierdre X

Hi Kerry, Huckster - 1) Street seller of ale, often a woman 2) Retailer of small wares in shop or booth Dave

Brewers Journeyman, Sugar Baker/Refiner, Agricultural Labourer, Farmers, Carters, Baker/Coalmerchant (odd combination), Carman (railway), a couple of Blacksmiths, a Carpenter, Tailoresses and Dressmakers, a Cabinet Maker, a Canon, an Excise Officer, a Sawyer and a lot of different trades within the Shoe industry.

I have farmers and wheelwrights and a smith on one side, a nineteenth century hairdresser, African merchant, cabinet maker. On my dads side there are a few tanners, and one is a Flesher (eek) Carter of mineral water, coir mat maker, joiner. two golf profesisonals. But not a lord or lady amongst them!

Several of mine did jobs in the cotton factories in Lancashire. I have house painters, a bricklayer, hatter, grocer, stonemason, blacksmith and my gr grandfather was a corn dealer and later described as a hay and straw merchant but I think these were related occupations and it was a family business. A whole load of my dads ancestors were confectioners. Mum had the house painters and also shoemakers and tailors so they would have come in very handy. Mel

All mine are common place jobs as well. Joiner, Laborer in iron works, Spindle Maker, Bleacher,Cotton Doubler? Card Lacer,Coal Miner, Mechanic in Mill, Coal Hewer, Dataller in Coal Mine Underground (2), Cotton Spinner, Fly Frame Fitter? Painter, Provision Provider, Ironstone Miner, and other various cotton mill jobs (7), Foreman Tanner, Shop Keeper, Roller Maker and a Warper Wefter Weaver. Maggie

My most mysterious is described as a gentleman on his marriage and death certificates, and on the Census and son's marriage cert is a traveller. Perhaps he was a posh gypsy?

Ive got several jockeys (one won the Grand National) an Architect, plasterer, plumber and gas fitter/blacksmith

I have Brass Finisher; Stick Mounter and Fitter; Gold and Silver Mounter; Engineer; and French Polisher. Helen Perhaps your 'traveller' was a Commercial Traveller?

Mainly ag labs on one side with a carpenter and a cordwainer (posh for shoemaker) thrown in. Dad's side more varied. Lots of Dock jobs - shipwright, sailmaker, rigger, oakum dealer. Couple of tavern keepers, a confectioner's cook and a master butcher. Then theres the railway lot - engine drivers, platelayers and Transport Policeman. Maz. XX

In the channel isles my ancestors were fishermen farmworkers stonebreakers and the women were domestic servants my Irish grandfather was a soldier as was his father In Lancashire 3 policemen one had been in the army for 22 years In the mines pit pony boy bookeeper pit sinker, lamp trimmer ,colliery foreman in the mills cardroom hands spinners weavers For a few years one owned a pawn shop In Yorkshire carters farmers and miners in Westmorland farmers and stonemasons labourer I found this entry in a census Keeper of a mangle Bren

My G-Grandfather (Francis Percy b.1851) was variously described during his working life as a Gardener (Full Sutton, E.Yorks); Cordwainer (leather worker - shoes, he made at least one pair for my mother); Beer Retailer; Sub-Post Master (Baldons Oxfordshire) and finally at the time of his death in 1927 a Tennis Club Groundsman (Birmingham). Now as far as I know not a single NVQ, City and Guilds Cert. for any of these jobs either, these days we are obsessed with paper qualifications! G-Grandfather on my dad's side had a very peculiar occupation- a Phrenologist (a reader of head shape and bumps, determining character, popular toward the end of the Victorian era. I suppose rather like today's Palm and Tarot Card readers etc). This after being a Master Shoemaker in Worcester for many years.

I have a fishing rod maker, and his daughter's occupation was a fish hook bender !!!!! Sally

I have coal miners, a colliery foreman, shoe makers, wood carvers, hackney cab drivers (when they had horses!), a master butcher, a sewing machine salesman and a comb maker! Steph x

Hi One of my ancestors is listed as been a Night Soil Man--emptying the earth closets!--wondered if he had lost his sense of--smell? Rod