In a message dated 26/03/2010 10:23:31 GMT Standard Time, bp@bpears.org.uk writes: "husbandman" was usually the owner or renter of a smallholding. Funnily enough, I discovered yesterday that my g.g.g.grandfather Joshua HALL who was described in the 1841 Census in Lamesley as an "Ag. Lab." was described on his his son's marriage certificate (Chester-le-Street) four weeks later as a Husbandman - the son trying to gild the lily I suspect, since Joshua was still an Ag. Lab. in 1851. Adrian

On 26/03/2010 11:07, ADRABBOTT@aol.com wrote: > Funnily enough, I discovered yesterday that my g.g.g.grandfather Joshua > HALL who was described in the 1841 Census in Lamesley as an "Ag. Lab." was > described on his his son's marriage certificate (Chester-le-Street) four weeks > later as a Husbandman - the son trying to gild the lily I suspect, since > Joshua was still an Ag. Lab. in 1851. Yes indeed, you even see ag labs described as "farmers" - though usually by relations rather than themselves. It's a similar situation with "engineer" and "fitter". Of course this is nothing compared to the modern trend with job titles whereby virtually everyone except the cleaner and office junior is a "manager" (at least) of something. Brian -- Brian Pears (Gateshead, UK) http://www.bpears.org.uk/ Joint List Admin NORTHUMBRIA Genealogy Mailing List GENUKI Northumberland Maintainer