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HAIR DRESSER - thoughts please

ProfilePosted byOptionsPost Date

Jill 2011 (aka Warrior Princess of Cilla!)

Jill 2011 (aka Warrior Princess of Cilla!) Report 6 Jan 2008 17:36

My gggrandfather William Faber (1818) shows on his marriage cert (1839) as a hair dresser (two words) and then on his daughter's birth cert (1840) and all subsequent records as a hatter.

Now, either he was a barber and it seems an odd move to a hatter.

Or, did he make "things" - 1840's bling? - to dress hair - ornamental type bits and pieces? Then make a move to making ladies' hats?

Would appreciate your views please.

Many thanks

Jill

(p.s. his father George was a bricklayer!)

Laura

Laura Report 6 Jan 2008 17:40

I have a Hair Dresser in my family too, I wondered the same thing. will keep an eye on this thread, thank you Jill,
L xxx

Iris

Iris Report 6 Jan 2008 17:42

from http://rmhh.co.uk/occup/index.html

Not sure what this site says, but have a look it may help...

Gwyn in Kent

Gwyn in Kent Report 6 Jan 2008 18:04

By coincidence I was talking earlier today with someone whose ancestor was a wig maker. His son was a hairdresser. I can see a link between those skills.
The son was also sometimes recorded as a dentist, so one can only suppose that the barber / hairdresser skills stretched beyond the obvious.

It was probably a case of extending the occupation to a similar one, as the fashion / need arose.

Gwyn

Diane

Diane Report 6 Jan 2008 18:15

I think it was quite common for a barber to extract teeth... I don't know where I've got that useless fact from.. but I do remember hearing it...

..maybe it was the tilting chair, that they could lean back and close their eyes, whilst he tugged.....

Jill 2011 (aka Warrior Princess of Cilla!)

Jill 2011 (aka Warrior Princess of Cilla!) Report 6 Jan 2008 18:23

Thank you people,

But can I safely assume (hm hm) that a hairdresser dresses ladies' hair and a barber deals with men? Or am I to assume that hairdresser covered both terms?

I'm still puzzled.

Jill

KathleenBell

KathleenBell Report 6 Jan 2008 18:32

I would think that a hairdresser would have been the same as either a hairdresser or a barber today.

I remember the place my dad used to get his hair cut about 50 years ago having a sign above the door that said "Men's Hairdresser" and not "Barber" as you would have expected.

I know this is a good 100 years or so after the time you are looking at, but I would take a Hair Dresser to mean the obvious.

Kath. x

Jean

Jean Report 6 Jan 2008 18:58

one of mine was a court hairdresser, not sure what that means.

jean

KathleenBell

KathleenBell Report 6 Jan 2008 20:14

I would think that Court Hairdresser was a hairdresser to aristocrats or royalty, or the people around them.

Kath. x

Jean

Jean Report 6 Jan 2008 21:00

hi kath, cor thats good to know, I have a photo of him and he looked quite upmarket if you know what I mean, lol

jean

KathleenBell

KathleenBell Report 6 Jan 2008 21:13

Jean,

Please don't take my word for it about Royalty and the like - it's just that "court" usually has that meaning, as in "court jester" being someone who entertained the "court" or "people surrounding" royalty.

Kath. x

Jill 2011 (aka Warrior Princess of Cilla!)

Jill 2011 (aka Warrior Princess of Cilla!) Report 7 Jan 2008 13:06

Thank you people.

I wish mine had been a court hairdresser - sounds a bit more interesting!!

Jill

Montmorency

Montmorency Report 8 Jan 2008 11:40

Women did women's hair, usually at home. They also got their hats from female milliners. Men weren't allowed to get that personal, and wouldn't have had a clue anyway.

A man who was a hairdresser would have cut men's hair, and a man who was a hatter would have made or sold men's hats.

Jill 2011 (aka Warrior Princess of Cilla!)

Jill 2011 (aka Warrior Princess of Cilla!) Report 8 Jan 2008 12:21

Thanks Robin.

It just seems a bit odd that he went from a hairdresser to a hatter. That's why I was wondering about ornamental thingies.

However, I think I will go with the men only theory as it does make much more sense.

Jill