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Occupations


Occupations Found in Old Records
Below is a list of occupations gleaned from old records which were provided to us by Barbara Stevenson. Some are quite amusing.
Accomptant 	Accountant
Almoner 	Giver of charity to the needy
Amanuensis 	Secretary or stenographer
Artificer	A soldier mechanic who does repairs
Bailie    	Bailiff
Baxter       	Baker
Bluestocking    Female writer
Boniface 	Keeper of an inn
Brazier    	One who works with brass
Brewster 	Beer manufacturer
Brightsmith	Metal Worker
Burgonmaster	Mayor
Caulker       	One who filled up cracks in ships, windows, etc.
Chaisemaker	Carriage maker
Chandler       	Dealer or trader; one who makes or sells candles; retailer of groceries
Chiffonnier  	Wig maker
Clark       	Clerk
Clerk        	Clergyman, cleric
Clicker     	The servant of a salesman who stood at the door to invite customers; 
		one who received the matter in the galley from the compositors
		and arranged it in due form ready for printing;  one who makes eyelet 
		holes in boots  using a machine which clicked.
Cohen     	Priest
Collier      	Coal miner
Colporteur      Peddler of books
Cooper   	One who makes or repairs vessels made of staves and hoops,
		such as casks, barrels, tubs, etc.
Cordwainer  	Shoemaker, originally any leather worker using leather from 
		Cordova/Cordoba in Spain
Costermonger  Peddler of fruits and vegetables
Crocker  	Potter
Crowner     	Coroner
Currier   	One who dresses the coat of a horse with a currycomb;
		one who tanned leather by incorporating oil or grease
Docker		Stevedore, dock worker who loads and unloads cargo
Dowser  	One who finds water using a rod or witching stick
Draper      	A dealer in dry goods
Drayman         One who drives a long strong cart without fixed sides for carrying heavy loads
Dresser    	A surgeon's assistant in a hospital
Drover      	One who drives cattle, sheep, etc. to market;  a dealer in cattle
Duffer       	Peddler
Factor       	Agent, commission merchant;  one who acts or transacts
		business for another; Scottish steward or bailiff of an estate
Farrier     	A blacksmith, one who shoes horses
Faulkner	Falconer
Fell monger  	One who removes hair or wool from hides in preparation for leather making
Fletcher      	One who made bows and arrows
Fuller     	One who fulls cloth; one who shrinks and thickens woolen cloth by  
		moistening, heating, and pressing; one who cleans and finishes cloth
Gaoler     	A keeper of the goal, a jailer
Glazier   	Window glassman
Hacker     	Maker of hoes
Hatcheler   	One who combed out or carded flax
Haymonger 	Dealer in hay
Hayward  	Keeper of fences
Higgler      	Itinerant peddler
Hillier     	Roof tiler
Hind        	A farm laborer
Holster 	A groom who took care of horses, often at an inn
Hooker     	Reaper
 Hooper     	One who made hoops for casks and barrels
Huckster   	Sells small wares
Husbandman	A farmer who cultivated the land
Jagger     	Fish peddler
Journeyman 	One who had served his apprenticeship and mastered his craft,
		not bound to serve a master, but hired by the day
Joyner/Joiner 	A skilled carpenter
Keeler  	Bargeman
Kempster 	Wool comber
Lardner   	Keeper of the cupboard
Lavender   	Washer woman
Lederer 	Leather maker
Leech       	Physician
Longshorema  	Stevedore
Lormer      	Maker of horse gear
Malender    	Farmer
Maltster     	Brewer
Manciple   	A steward
Mason       	Bricklayer
Mintmaster 	One who issued local currency
Monger   	Seller of goods (ale, fish)
Muleskinner 	Teamster
Neatherder   	Herds cows
Ordinary Keeper Innkeeper with fixed prices
Pattern Maker   A maker of a clog shod with an iron ring. A clog  was a
		wooden pole with a pattern cut into the end
Peregrinator	Itinerant wanderer
Peruker      	A wig maker
Pettifogger 	A shyster lawyer
Pigman     	Crockery dealer
Plumber  	One who applied sheet lead for roofing and set lead frames
		for plain or stained glass windows.
Porter 		Door keeper
Puddler  	Wrought iron worker
Quarrier 	Quarry worker
Rigger   	Hoist tackle worker
 Ripper  	Seller of fish
Roper   	Maker of rope or nets
Saddler      	One who makes, repairs or sells saddles or other furnishings for horses
Sawbones   	Physician
Sawyer       	One who saws; carpenter
Schumacker 	Shoemaker
Scribler     	A minor or worthless author
Scrivener   	Professional or public copyist or writer; notary public
Scrutiner  	Election judge
Shrieve     	Sheriff
Slater     	Roofer
Slopseller 	Seller of ready-made clothes in a slop shop
Snobscat / Snob One who repaired shoes
Sorter     	Tailor
Spinster   	A woman who spins or an unmarried woman
Spurrer     	Maker of spurs
Squire   	Country gentleman;  farm owner;  justice of peace
Stuff gown  	Junior barrister
Stuff gownsman  Junior barrister
Supercargo      Officer on merchant ship who is in charge of cargo and the commercial 
		concerns of the ship.
Tanner     	One who tans (cures) animal hides into leather
Tapley 		One who puts the tap in an ale cask
Tasker  	Reaper
Teamster	One who drives a team for hauling
Thatcher   	Roofer
Tide waiter 	Customs inspector
Tinker      	An itinerant tin pot and pan seller and repairman
Tipstaff    	Policeman
Travers 	Toll bridge collection
Tree shaker	A person who looks for skeletons in the family tree. (Fn. 1)
Tucker   	Cleaner of cloth goods
Turner    	A person who turns wood on a lathe into spindles
Victualer	A tavern keeper, or one who provides an army, navy or ship with food
Vulcan   	Blacksmith
Wagoner   	Teamster not for hire
Wainwright  	Wagon maker
Waiter   	Customs officer or tide waiter; one who waited on the tide
		to collect duty on goods brought in
Waterman  	Boatman who plies for hire
Webster  	Operator of looms
Wharfinger  	Owner of a wharf
Wheelwright 	One who made or repaired wheels; wheeled carriages, etc.
Whitesmith 	Tinsmith; worker of iron who finishes or polishes the work
Whitewing  	Street sweeper
Whitster    	Bleach of cloth
Wright      	Workman, especially a construction worker
Yeoman    	Farmer who owns his own land

________________

Fn. 1	I made that one up.  :)
If you can provide us with definitions of other old occupations, please contact us at dewald@prenticenet.com..


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