Hi I always understood the term cordwainer to be a worker in leather who did much more than shoes. At that time all farming was done by horses and a lot of leatherwork was needed for that plus coach and riding horses saddles etc. We have ancestors who were cordwainers usually in the country areas and some shoemakers who were likely to be town based. john ferguson ----- Original Message ----- From: "Ted&Sue" <ted@nsue.freeserve.co.uk> To: <ENG-NORTH-YORKS-L@rootsweb.com> Sent: Saturday, March 29, 2003 5:31 PM Subject: Re: [N'Yorks] Cordwainer > Hi Nancy, > just to follow on from Steven's message my gt.gt grandmother is on the 1871 > census as follows. > > Aiskew. > Jane PEARSON, 51, Wid, Shoemaker employing one son. > Robert PEARSON, 27, Shoemaker Journeyman. > > Jane had inherited the business from her husband even though her son Robert > was already in the trade. Jane is entered as annuitant on the next census. > By that time Robert had married and later became Master Shoemaker > (Cordwainer) as his father had been. Plus another son William, my gt, > grandfather had already left home, married and took on the same trade. > > Regards, Sue. > > ----- Original Message ----- > From: "Nancy Vogt" <nrvogt@webtv.net> > To: <ENG-NORTH-YORKS-L@rootsweb.com> > Sent: Saturday, March 29, 2003 3:29 AM > Subject: [N'Yorks] Cordwainer > > > > I agree with those who identified a cordwainer as a shoemaker, but I > > wonder how many women were actually involved in this occupation in the > > 1850's? Since I have a "master cordwainer" in my line of interest, I > > have searched many directories online and have yet to see a female > > listed as a cordwainer or shoemaker. > > > > I would be interested if anyone has knowledge of female cordwainers. > > > > Nancy Vogt > > > > > > > > My web page: http://community.webtv.net/nanspage > > > > > > > > ==== ENG-NORTH-YORKS Mailing List ==== > > Have you visited the *NEW* RootsWeb/Ancestry Message Boards yet? Take a > > tour soon & learn how time-saving those "Gateway" messages are compared > > to trying to find the *new* ones on your own. > > > > ============================== > > To join Ancestry.com and access our 1.2 billion online genealogy records, > go to: > > http://www.ancestry.com/rd/redir.asp?targetid=571&sourceid=1237 > > > > > > > ==== ENG-NORTH-YORKS Mailing List ==== > ----------> ALL CAPS or UPPER CASE Letters Permissible Use <---------- > When typing a surname? YES! Absolutely! A must! For general text? NO! > It's shouting, bad manners (Netiquette) and hard to find surnames. > > ============================== > To join Ancestry.com and access our 1.2 billion online genealogy records, go to: > http://www.ancestry.com/rd/redir.asp?targetid=571&sourceid=1237 > > >

Thanks John you make very interesting comments. My FERGUSON/TAYLOR family were living in a rural area, around Lovesome Hill/Hutton Bonville/Brompton area near Northallerton and I well imagine them having to produce and repair many different items for farmwork as well as items of footwear. Regards Sue, Shropshire.