Hi Derek, We you learn something every day! I always thought a cordwainer had something to do with Weaving Only goes to show we never stop learning. Cheers Kim ----- Original Message ----- From: "de barraclough" <debarraclough1@activemail.co.uk> To: <WEST-RIDING-L@rootsweb.com> Sent: Sunday, May 16, 2004 11:03 PM Subject: [WRY] : Was he a shoemaker? > Hi John, > Throughout the 18th century,and well into the > 19th,shoemakers were known more often as > cordwainers. > Cheers--------Derek. >

Cordwainers were shoe makers, and cobblers were (and are) shoe repairers. The word apparently is derived from the Spanish city of Cordoba (pronounced Cordova) which was famous for its leather goods. I believe that high quality leather was known as Cordoba. My ancestor (and brick wall) Joseph Barraclough was a cordwainer. He was born sometime in the 1790s, married Martha Wilson at Bingley on 16/7/1811 and sadly died at Eccleshill in 1825. His admon, sworn by Martha, showed that he had left property worth less than five pounds. If any of you have any info on either him or Martha, I would like to hear from you. They seem to be the forgotten Eccleshill Barracloughs! john s