Old Trades

Here are a few examples below of different trades through different years in time. I will be adding more eventually. The trade of your ancestor can be a huge part of the person they were and the lifestyle they led. So when you research your ancestors find out more about the trade and the area where they were living.

Occupation
Trade Reference
Description
Year
Backsmann / Backster
Baker
Baker
Back- Overman
Mining
This was the man who had the immediate inspection of the workings and workmen during the back-shift
1849
Mining
The back-overman superintends the management of the pit from the time the overman leaves until four o’clock in the evening, when the pit is said to “loose” or stop work
1892
Mining
Foreman of the pit during the “back shift,” or afternoon shift, in the absence of the overman
1894
Badger Lincesed Pauper
Bagman Salesman that travelled around
Bagniokeeper   Owner of a brothel or bathhouse
Bailiff
Mining
Foreman or overman
1894
Baler   Someone who worked either in a mill or they baled hay
Ballad Monger   Sold ballad sheets on the streets
Ballast Heaver   Loaded ballast in ships – commonly stone.
Bandsman
Mining
Labourer (loader) working with a band of men
1894
Bang Beggar   This persons role was to control how long strangers were allowed to stay in a parish
Banksmen
Mining
At the bank or top of the pit, the banksmen would unhook and empty the laden corves into the carts or waggons, from a frame or stage
1825
Mining
a man who draws the full tubs from the cages at the surface, when wound up by the engine, and replaces them with empty ones ; he also puts the full tubs to the weighing machine, and thence to the skreens, upon which he teems the coals. It is also his duty to keep an account of the quantity of coals and stones drawn each day.
1849
Barber
Hair
The role of a barber was to cut hair, give shaves and trim hair. Their role also consisted of dentistry and surgery in previous times
Barm Brewer Cultivated the brewers yeast
Barilla Manufacturer Made Banilla
Baxter
Baker
Baker
Beadle Town Cryer and officer in the parish
Biddy A Servant many were Irish
Black Borderer Made funerary stationery
Blacksmith is a person who creates objects from iron or steel
Blentonist Water diviner
Bluffer Innkeeper
Boonmaster Repaired roads and maintained them
Bottomer
Mining
This mans job was to attend the bottom at the shaft
1894
Brakeman
Mining
To work on the machinery which included machines that raised the coal from the mind
1825
Brailler Person who made girdles
Brakeman or Brakesman Operated the brakes on the winch at the pit head or on trains or trams
Brasiator Someone who brewed ale
Brasiler A dyer
Brass Cutter A person who made copperplate engravings
Brass Finisher Someone who polished brass goods.
Bratman A rough garment maker.
Brazier Someone who repaired brass household items
Breach Maker Someone who made breches for guns
Brusher
Mining
This person was employed to blast the roof or floor of a roadway to give more height or to bring down the mineral
1894
Buttocker
Mining
Miner who gets coal off at a “long-wall” face
1894
Bye Workman
Mining
Underground labourer
1894
Chargeman
Mining
The chargeman was the man that was in charge
1894
Chargeman Tunneller
Mining
This man was in charge of all the other tunnellers
1894
Charter Master
Mining
Contracted to working on a pit or near one
1894
Check Viewer
Mining
Safety Inspector
1849
Check Weigher
Mining
Clay Puddler The Clay Puddlers role is to make the clay lining in cannals and dams and this would be done with thir feet till the clay becomes soft and smoothe
Clayman/ cleyman
Prepared the clay for making bricks
Clerk A medieval clergyman
Coiner Someone who makes coins
Clearer
Mining
Clod Hopper
Ploughman
Ploughman
Clogger
Shoe Maker
A person who made shoes “cloggs” in England
Cloth Dreser /
Cropper
Clothes
Worked in a Mill or in a wool factory
Cloth Lapper
Clothes
Removed the Yarn from the machines so that the Yarn process would continue
Clothier /Clothesman
Clothes
This person was in the clothing industry they either sold clothes or made them
Club Collecter This person usually visited people once a week asking for money and payments for clothing or buriels
Coal Backer
Mining
These people carried the coal on their backs from the barges
Coal Burner Makes Charcoal
Coal Dealer Someone who goes around selling coal
Cobbler
Shoe Maker
Repairs and Makes Shoes
Cobbleman A fisherman who uses cobble
Cocus
Cook
Cook (Latin)
Cohen
Priest
Priest
Cordiner or Cordwainer A shoemaker. Also a person who worked with Cordovan, a special soft leather from Spain.
Correspondent journalist or writer
Corset Maker, Bone Someone who made corsets
Corporal
Mining
Corvers
Mining
Countour A person who collected rates.
Coupler
Mining
Craneman
Mining
Crocker Potter
Crutter
Mining
Dataler
Mining
Deputies
Mining
Dook Runnner
Mining
Drawer
Mining
Drifter
Mining
Drivers
Mining
Earer Ploughman
Earth stopper Stopped up animal burrows
East India Man Someone who owned a company in India
Elymaker Oil maker
Engine Tenter
Mining
Flat Lad
Mining
Foal
Mining
Force -Overman
Mining
Furnaceman
Mining
Gabeler Tax Collecter
Gaffman Bailiff
Gang Rider
Mining
Ganneker Inkeeper
Gaoler Jailer
Gater Watchman
Gatherer
Glass Worker
Glassworker
Gatward Someone who keeps Goats
Gaunter
Clothing
Glove Maker
Gelder Castrates Animals
Gentleman Aristocrat
Ginerr A joiner
1891
Gin Drivers
Mining
Ginour
Engineer
Engineer
Goldsmith Someone who worked with gold or someone who worked in a bank
Grieve / Greave Bailiff, Sheriff, Foreman
Granger
Farmer
Farmer
Greaser
Mining
Hand Putter
Mining
Hardground Man
Mining
Headsman
Mining
Helper-Up
Mining
Hewers
Mining
Hitcher
Mining
Hood Boy
Mining
Hooker – On
Mining
Incline Man
Mining
Inspector
Mining
Jigger
Mining
Keeper
Mining
Kedger
Fishing
fisherman
Keeker
Mining
Colliery official who checked quantity and quality of coal output. A weighman.
Keeler
Fishing
bargeman who sailed a flat bottomed boat known as a keel
Keller Someone who kept salt
Kellogg Slaughterman
Kempster A wool comber
Kepegest Innkeeper
Kisser Someone who made high armour
Kneller Chimney Sweep
Knocker-Up person employed to wake up workers in northern mills and factorys on early shifts
Knoller The toller of bells
Labourer General Labourer
Lace Drawer A child employed in lace work, drawing out threads.
Laceman Someone who deals within lace
Lace Master or Mistress A person employed workers in factories or in their homes for the production of lace
Lace Runner Someone who did embroidered patterns on lace.
Lagger Sailor
Lagraetmen Constable
Lamplighter / Leerie Employed by the local council to go around the streets and light the (gas) street lamps, using a pole
Laster
Shoe Maker
Shoe Maker
Lamp Keeper
Mining
Lighterman Works (still) on lighters – flat bottomed barges
Lowerer
Mining
Marrow
Mining
Master Shifter
Mining
Master Wasteman
Mining
Metal Man
Mining
Occupier Tradesman
Oil Colour Man Paint Mixing Trade
Oilman Oil Lamp Seller
Olitor Kitchen Gardener
Oncostman
Mining
Osler Bird Catcher
Onsetters
Mining
Outworker This is a person who works from home maybe weaving
Overman
Mining
Packer
Mining
Pikeman
Mining
Quarantine Officers of customs and quarantine, they were responsible for ensuring that anyone arriving on a vessel with a foul bill (i.e. coming from a country where plague existed), did not come ashore until they had spent a period of quarantine to make sure that symptoms of plague did not develop. This practice started in England with an act of parliament in 1710, although the origins of the word quarantine dates from 1377 in Dubrovnik. The last vestige of the British quarantine law was removed by the Public Health Act of 1896, which repealed the Quarantine Act of 1825.
Quarrier A Quarry Worker
Quilter Someone who quilted material.
Rack Maiden Someone employed in the tin mines of Cornwall to dress the ore, often a girl.
Raff Merchant A person who sold fibre
Rag and Bone Man Collected old rubbish from door to door
Ridder
Mining
Rockman
Mining
Runner
Mining
Sack Maker Someone who makes sacks for a living
Saddler or Harness Maker A person who sells saddles or other furnishings for horses
Safernman A grower of saffron.
Saloonist A saloon keeper.
Sawbones A surgeon or physician.
Schrimpschonger An artisan who carves in bone, ivory, or wood.
Schumacker
Shoe Maker
Shoe Maker
Screeners
Mining
Scribe Clerk
Scribler A minor or worthless author
Scrutineer An election judge
Scullery Maid A type of female servant
Scullion A type of male servant
Scutcher A person who who beats the flax to soften the straw
Seal Mantle Maker Someone who made gas mantles
Seal Presser A person who works with glass
Sexton employee or officer of a church who cared and upkept church property
Shackler
Mining
Shaftsman
Mining
Shifters
Mining
Small Leader
Mining
Smasher
Mining
Smith A metal worker
Smugsmith A smuggler
Souter A shoemaker.
Sperviter Someone who keeps sparrows.
Spittleman A hospital attendant.
Squarewright A cabinet maker.
Stallman
Mining
Stoneman
Mining
Switch Keeper
Mining
Taker Off
Mining
Timber Drawer
Mining
Trams
Mining
Trappers
Mining
Trimmer
Mining
Under Viewer
Mining
Viewer
Mining
Wailers
Mining
Wasteman
Mining
Water Leader
Mining
Way Cleaner
Mining
Wood Leader
Mining
Zincographer  Designer designer who etched in relief a pattern on zinc plates used for printing