Hi - I am writing up an ancestor who was a wheelwright from about 1861 to before 1891. The 1891 census shows a change of profession from wheelwright to grocer. I am wondering why the change. Could it be because wheels went from being made of wood to being made of iron? Just wondering because it seems like such a extreme change of profession in middle life. Thanks for any thoughts. Carole

It could simply be that he was getting older and needed something a little less strenuous. Ruth On 05/11/2015 14:51, Carole Edwards Caruso via wrote: > Hi - I am writing up an ancestor who was a wheelwright from about 1861 > to before 1891. The 1891 census shows a change of profession from > wheelwright to grocer. > > I am wondering why the change. Could it be because wheels went from > being made of wood to being made of iron? > > Just wondering because it seems like such a extreme change of profession > in middle life. > > Thanks for any thoughts. > > Carole > > > > :-+-: :-+-: :-+-: :-+-: :-+-: :-+-: :-+-: > > Buy or sell family research items on the GEN-MAT-UKI mailing list. No fees! > > The list's administrator can be contacted at [email protected] > > :-+-: :-+-: :-+-: :-+-: :-+-: :-+-: :-+-: > > > > ------------------------------- > 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 > >

It's also possible that he had two jobs all along. **If** he had his own premises, he might have used the front room for a little shop - I've seen it where the wife is recorded as a grocer, when her husband is elsewhere. When he gets too old or whatever it was, he takes on the job of grocer in the census. I'll bet it was still his wife that did the work! In your case, it may be that the wife's occupation was never entered - that happens quite often - so there may be no evidence of the grocery. Have a look in trade directories - that might help if it really was his own business. In 1891, very little change had taken place on the roads - plenty of horses and carts and I think they were wooden wheels until well into the 20th century - I wonder if the rubber-tyred wheels that I remember from the last horse-drawn wagons (coalman and green-grocer) were actually second hand off petrol or diesel lorries? Adrian > > On 05/11/2015 14:51, Carole Edwards Caruso via wrote: >> Hi - I am writing up an ancestor who was a wheelwright from about 1861 >> to before 1891. The 1891 census shows a change of profession from >> wheelwright to grocer. >> >> I am wondering why the change.

Hi Carole My first thought would be, are you sure the person in 1891 is actually the same person who was a wheelwright in earlier census? A wheelwright was an established trade with a long apprenticeship, I have wheelwrights and all continued their trade all their lives But peoples circumstances vary enormously, health being one factor Due to industrialisation there was certainly a downturn in local wheelwrights in the latter decades of the 1800's so that could also be a factor But without further investigation its just guesswork as to why your man changed horses midstream (so to speak) Nivard Ovington in Cornwall (UK) On 05/11/2015 14:51, Carole Edwards Caruso via wrote: > Hi - I am writing up an ancestor who was a wheelwright from about 1861 > to before 1891. The 1891 census shows a change of profession from > wheelwright to grocer. > > I am wondering why the change. Could it be because wheels went from > being made of wood to being made of iron? > > Just wondering because it seems like such a extreme change of profession > in middle life. > > Thanks for any thoughts. > > Carole

The poor chap may have suffered a work place injury to one of his hands. Not being able to do his trade he took over a shop. Mike Morris Toronto Canada ________________________________ From: Nivard Ovington via <[email protected]> To: [email protected] Sent: Friday, November 6, 2015 4:31 AM Subject: Re: [LAN] Wheelwrights Hi Carole My first thought would be, are you sure the person in 1891 is actually the same person who was a wheelwright in earlier census? A wheelwright was an established trade with a long apprenticeship, I have wheelwrights and all continued their trade all their lives <snip>

Carole Have you checked the address of the wheelwrights in the 1891 census to see if someone else took over - was it one of the children. You could also check trade directories between the 1881 and 1891 to see if it is recorded there. Have you checked the local papers as well between the census dates Regards John Hanson Researcher, The Halsted Trust Website - www.halstedresearch.org.uk -----Original Message----- From: [email protected] [mailto:[email protected]] On Behalf Of Carole Edwards Caruso via Sent: 05 November 2015 14:51 To: [email protected] Subject: [LAN] Wheelwrights Hi - I am writing up an ancestor who was a wheelwright from about 1861 to before 1891. The 1891 census shows a change of profession from wheelwright to grocer. I am wondering why the change. Could it be because wheels went from being made of wood to being made of iron? Just wondering because it seems like such a extreme change of profession in middle life. Thanks for any thoughts. Carole :-+-: :-+-: :-+-: :-+-: :-+-: :-+-: :-+-: Buy or sell family research items on the GEN-MAT-UKI mailing list. No fees! The list's administrator can be contacted at [email protected] :-+-: :-+-: :-+-: :-+-: :-+-: :-+-: :-+-: ------------------------------- 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