Hi Being a country lad..... I wouldn't say a Gamekeeper was a step up from a Farmer, they are very different trades. Their literacy was variable; the average Gamekeeper job was/is very much hands on and literacy would not be a requirement unless he managed other men or a big estate on behalf of the Landlord. As you say, a Gamekeeper was often unpopular with locals who were keen to Poach the landlords game for their own supper. There is a saying that the best Gamekeepers were once poachers! A good Gamekeeper is very hard to find today and I am sure they were also sought throughout the country years ago. I would not expect there to be a register for Gamekeepers. If the Trade was Farmer, this was a step up from the Ag Lab as they were often managers of the farm, with more responsibilities and literacy. The Ag Labs did the labouring without 'management' responsibility. Of course, there were/are many sizes of farms, the census often gives details of farmed land and employees. Hope this is useful. >From a cold, damp Brussels (born & bred somerset, UK) Barry -----Original Message----- From: [email protected] [mailto:[email protected]] On Behalf Of J GOULD Sent: 31 October 2008 18:11 To: [email protected] Subject: Re: [GLS] keepers Rural Gloucestershire to the cities Brian, Gamekeeping was definitely a step up. My impression is that gamekeepers were recruited from some distance away, even Scotland. The gamekeeper's cottage was of a superior construction to that of the ag lab, and was aimed at attracting a better type of man. Only the bigger farms and estates employed gamekeepers.  Plenty of these cottages survive and command a superior price.   Farmers tended to be better educated than the hoi polloi. They needed this to be able to run the farm and sell their produce.  Jeff       ----- Original Message ---- From: Brian Blackwell <[email protected]> To: [email protected] Sent: Friday, 31 October, 2008 4:34:55 PM Subject: Re: [GLS] Rural Gloucestershire to the cities Thank you Janet & Jeff for your replies Jeff you mentioned that railway workers were required to read and write "which was unusual at this time for Ag Labs" On Richards 1841 Birmingham marriage certificate his occupation was railway guard, (he was a station master later) and lists his father Harry as a "Game Keeper" I presume a game keeper was a slight step up in farming hierarchy, so would it be possible for this household be able to read and write? I have not found any confirmation of his father being a game keeper, so I am not sure if he was trying to impress the city folks by putting this occupation down for his dad. I have read articles about game keepers not being liked in the communities were they lived, as they prevented the local ag labs from augmenting a meager diet with meat and his employer thought he was being cheated by his game keeper anyway! Can any one confirm this theory and is there any "registers or lists" of game keepers? Thank you any information would be appreciated Brian on a very wet morning on The Sunshine Coast Sechelt BC _____________________________________________ Have you considered adding "postems" to "your" events on www.freebmd.org.uk , giving your contact details?  Other researchers will then be able to make contact. Click on the info button to add your postem. ------------------------------- To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to [email protected] with the word 'unsubscribe' without the quotes in the subject and the body of the message _____________________________________________ Have you considered adding "postems" to "your" events on www.freebmd.org.uk , giving your contact details? Other researchers will then be able to make contact. Click on the info button to add your postem. ------------------------------- To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to [email protected] with the word 'unsubscribe' without the quotes in the subject and the body of the message