In message <[email protected]>, Donald Tomkinson <[email protected]> writes >In 1631 Thomas Tomkinson was appointed a "searcher and sealer of >leather" in Newcastle under Lyme. I'd be grateful for an explanation >of the duties of the office. Tagging the skins as submitted by size and quality, as first, second, third, rough, really shoddy but will do for pauper's slippers.- so the prices charged matched the quality and no one could put one over on a short sighted buyer by turning a damaged edge under. >I assume that it was connected with >assessing the qualities of leather. Would it also imply that Thomas >was a cordwainer or a tanner? On the whole, I would expect a highly experienced tanner to be appointed - though, of course, a highly experienced shoe maker would have good standards in judging quality. > -- Eve McLaughlin Author of the McLaughlin Guides for family historians Secretary Bucks Genealogical Society