Brian/Kathleen, I believe a commercial traveller was a "door-to-door" salesman, as we would refer to it . My great grandfather was a commercial traveller (Robert MCKINSTRY) in Belfast, according to my grandmother's birth certificate in 1899 (they lived on Chobham Street) and the ship manifest to Phila in 1922. I am guessing that was a tough way to make a living! Joe Hunter