From: Sandi Gorin <sgorin@glasgow-ky.com> To: KYRESEARCH-L@rootsweb.com Subject: TIP #437 - THOSE UNUSUAL OCCUPATIONS AGAIN Date: Thu, 17 Apr 2003 06:41:38 -0500 It has been a long time since I showed a list of unusual occupational names. If one searches the internet or refers to various books written on the subject, one could accumulate literally thousands of job titles from the olden days - most of which could be found in Kentucky as well. Below will be the start of another list of old occupations you might see on the census and were afraid to ask what they were! ALE FOUNDER: official who tested the quality and measured the ale served in inns and taverns. ALE DRAPER: One who sold ale ALE TASTER: One who tested ale and beer for quality. Old English term. ALE TUNNER: Filled ale casks (tuns} with ale ALEWIFE: A woman who kept a tavern ALL SPICE: A grocer. AMANUENSIS: A stenographer/secretary. ANKLE BEATER: A young man who assisted in driving cattle to market. ARKWRIGHT: A craftsman who produced "arks" which were wooden chests or coffers. BACK'US BOY: kitchen servant who worked in the back of the house. BACK WASHER: cleaned the wool in the worsted manufacturing industry BADGER:licensed pauper who had to wear a badge with the letter P on it. He could only work in Approved areas. Also a corn miller or a wandering food traveler/salesman. BADGY FIDDLER: A boy who played the trumpet in the military. BAGMAN: A travelling salesman. BAREMAN: a pauper or beggar. BANDSTER: bound up the wheat sheaves after harvest. BANKER : A man who dug trenches and ditches to drain the land. The dirt removed was placed in a bank around the edge. BARBER / BARBER SURGEON: a barber who was also a surgeon BARKEEPER: tollkeeper BARKER: tanner BAUER: farmer BAXTER: baker BELHOSTE: tavern keeper. BASIL WORKER: worked with sheep and goat skins. BAST DRESSER: dressing fibre or matting BATMAN: a servant in the Army who waited on officers. BATT MAKER: made quilt and mattress wadding. BATTLEDORE MAKER: one who made beaters that were used on clothes carpets. BELLFOUNDER: made bells BELL HANGER: one who installed church bells. BELLMAN: watchman or town crier or who worked for the post office and collected letters for the mail coach by walking the streets and ringing a bell BELLOWS MAKER: made bellows used for organs and/or blacksmiths. BELLY BUILDER: one who built and fitted the interiors of pianos BENDER: Leather cutter. BIDDY: a female servant BILLYMAN: operated a Billy Roller machine used in the cotton industry. BILL POSTER: posted notices, signs and advertisements BINDER - bound books, hats, etc. BIRD BOY: a human scarecrow to scare away birds from crops BLACKING MAKER: made polish for shoes BLACK BORDERER: made black edged stationery for funerals - known as the letter in black. BLADESMITH: knife maker BLEACHER: bleached cloth or paper pulp for use as writing material. BLEMMERE: a plumber BLOCK PRINTER: a printer who used wooden blocks for printing BLOODMAN: one who used leeches for letting blood BLUESTOCKING: a female writer BLUFFER: Pub/tavern/inkeeper. BOARDWRIGHT: a carpenter who made made tables and chairs. BOBBIN CARRIER : an individual who worked in spinning and weaving at mills. BOBBIN TURNER: individual who made the bobbins. BOLTER: sifted meal BONDAGER: a bonded female farm worker. BONDMAN: one bonded to a master for the purpose of learning a skill or trade BONDSMAN: one who posted bond or surety for another where a bond was required by law BONE BUTTON TURNER: one who made buttons by using a lathe BONE LACE MAKER: made lace for pillows. BONE PICKER: one who made his living by collecting rags and bones. Also known as a Rag and Bone Man. BONESETTER: one set broken bones BOOKHOLDER - prompter in the theater - whispered lines to actor who forgot them. BOOKMAN: a student BOONMASTER: a road surveyor of roads who had to maintain and repair the road. BOOT CATCHER: a servant at a tavern or inn who did nothing but pull off traveler's boots BOOTHMAN: one who sold corn. BOTCHER: a tailor or cobbler BOTTLER: made leather containers for holding liquids. BOTTLE BOY: assistant to a druggist. BOWKER: one bleached yarn. BOWLER - made bowls and dishes and also a term used for those who made the rounded part of spoons before casting BOWLWOMAN: a woman who sold crockery. BRABENER: a weaver BRAILLER: a girdle maker. BREWSTER: female brewer BRIGHTSMITH: a metal worker BROOM-DASHER: one who sold brooms. BROOM SQUIRE: one who made brooms. BROWNSMITH: one who worked with copper or brass BUCKLER/ BUCKLESMITH: made buckles BUCK WASHER: a laundress BUFFALO SOLDIER: a soldier who served in a black regiment in the US Army in the West BULLWHACKER: an oxen driver BUMMER: an army deserter BURMAIDEN: chambermaid or lady-in-waiting BUSHELER: a tailor's assistant. BUSS MAKER: a gun maker. CADDY BUTCHER: A horse meat butcher. CADDIE: errand boy CADGER: beggar CAFENDER: carpenter CAINER: made canes. CALICO PRINTER: dyed and colored calico CAMBIST: banker CANDY MAN: traveling candy salesman. CANTING CALLER: auctioneer CAPER: cap maker CARDROOMER: one who worked in the carding room of the mills CARDER: carded wool. CART WHEELER: made cart wheels CARTOGRAPHER: map maker CASTRATOR: castrated farm animals. CATCHPOLE: sheriff's assistant/bailiff CATTLE JOBBER: bought and sold cattle CEILER: put up the ceilings in buildings CELLARMAN: tended beer, wines and spirits in public houses and inns. CHAIR BODGER: a traveling chair repairman CHAMBER MASTER: a home based shoemaker CHAUNTER: a wandering balladeer CHAPELER: manufactured and sold hats CHARWOMAN: a cleaning woman CHIFFONIER: wig maker. Also could be a ragpicker CINDER WENCH: a woman who who collected the cinders sold them by going door to door CLAPMAN: the town crier CLARK: clerk CLERICUS: clerk CLERK: a clergyman CLOD HOPPER: plowman COAL HEAVER: one who unloaded coal COCUS: a cook COLLIER: a coal miner. COLPORTEUR: traveling traveling Bible, hymn book or religious book salesman COMBER or COMBERE: one who combs wool COMPOSITOR: individual who set the type ready for printing CONEY CATCHER: caught rabbits COSTERMONGER: sold fruit CROCKER: potter CROWNER: coroner CUSTOMER: customs tax collector DAY MAN: a person for hire and usually paid by the day. DEATHSMAN: the executioner DELVER: ditch digger DEVIL: printer's errand boy DEY WIFE: a woman dairy worker DISH THROWER: made bowls and dishes DOG LEECH: veterinarian DOG-WHIPPER: chased dogs away in a town. DOMESMAN: judge DRAWBOY: the weaver's assistant DRIPPING MAN: dealer in fat collected during the cooking of meats DRUGGER: pharmacist DRUMMER: traveling salesman (c) 17 Apr 2003, Sandra K. Gorin, All Rights Reserved. Col. Sandi Gorin, 205 Clements Ave., Glasgow, KY 42141 (270) 651-9114 Publishing: http://ggpublishing.tripod.com/ GORIN worldconnect website: http://worldconnect.rootsweb.com/~sgorin SCKY resource links: http://www.public.asu.edu/~moore/Gorin.html ==== KYRESEARCH Mailing List ==== Browse Kentucky Archives: http://archiver.rootsweb.com/th/index/KYRESEARCH/ _________________________________________________________________ Protect your PC - get McAfee.com VirusScan Online http://clinic.mcafee.com/clinic/ibuy/campaign.asp?cid=3963