General Chat

I have some little girls aged 9 and 10 on the census forms as lacemakers, along with my greatgreatgrandmother. My greatgrandfather was down as a scholar aged 4! I read a book where the lacemakers of Buckinghamshire, where my relatives come from. are mentioned, it tells of the hours they spent outside in good weather making lace, and inside with just candles when cold, or working in the evenings inside, so that people around them didn't realise how poor they were to have to work into the night. Obviously it played havoc with their eyesight, and also gave problems with their backs, hunched over the lace for hours on end, now they have me hunched over the computer finding out about them. Wish I had some of the lace. I know my grandfather was a carpenter and he and his son, not my dad, used to make the coffins for the village. Don't have any other details at the mo but as it was a small village I guess ag labs will be there too.

Boo Hoo... I've just found my Gt x 3 Grandparents and their 5 children in a Union Workhouse. In the following census~~~ hurray~~~ they have found work. The eldest boy is a Hemp Dresser and the other three boys are Hemp Spinners even the little 9 year old. That's made me count my blessings. :>)) Beryl x

Well a few years ago,,,baby brother went to ancestors area,,,,,well before 1901census,,,,,,,,,,,,,,came back singing with 1881 census report,,,,,,,,,!''we got a lawyer in the family'''seemed strange that all the others were shipwrights,,,,,,,,,,after a good while i took a really good look with a glass and it turned out a --sawyer---to do within the ship works!!!!!and I told everyone we had got a lawyer in the family,!!!!!

Stay fanner who was resident in Portsmouth and this was the heart of the corsetry industry - also have been told that the carmen in my tree were in fact carters.

Hi ,how about this one ,Relieving officer ,working at the Basford Workhouse ,Nottingham.Oh dear!lol!Suz

Mrs P ...it's me again lol! A Commercial Traveller is what you'd now know as a Sales Rep. A Hawker is a seller, sometimes a traveller, sometimes in markets or the street. You mentioned previously that you had a coal dealer and his daughter was a coal hawker, so she probably went round the streets trying to sell the coal for him. Although someone could well put me right on either of the above! Mandy :)

Bless you.....thank youxx ps.i've got more!xx(i'll use that site!...or i'll do your head in,,!!);0) Ta honxx

Commercial Traveller.....what the bleedin he..is that?? u should see my dining room floor......census and certs eveywhere!! D will do his nut! Pmsl!

a whip thong maker in the blackcountry have wondoured for years , still dont know what it is and we didnt wear thongs in them days lol.

Beaver blower !!!!!!!!!!! lolololololol how brilliant !!!!!! lololololol xx

Well muff like i said...i got a Viscount and earl....works both ways im afraid!!!! Pmsl!

A friend of mine has a Beaver Blower (!) - alledgedly to do with the hat making industry

My mates new squeeze is a nuclear scientist - tis the truth I swear !!! While he was up a couple of weekends ago we made a tentative start on his family tree and my goodness !!! He comes from some VERY well do to stock !!! Until we found one line from the work house !!! And that was the line he was most interested in following too !!! That's why he was given the seal of approval as a partner for my mate (well that and the fact that my girls adored him). Bless him xx

I came across a Breeze Dealer . Apparently it was the 19th century equivalent of a pub bouncer - that's why in some areas bouncers are called Breezers.

Caz......Brothel keeper excellent!!! ;0)))) *runs off to check out more*...................

Thanx Mandy!! Haysxx Don't suppose you know what a coal hawker is??TAxx

Caz I would say the brothel keeper was interesting !!! WOW wish mine were as colourful !!! Bet there are some untold stories there !!!! xx

Mrs P Yes, a Licensed Victualler is a publican. Here is the definition of a Carman: Driver of (horse-drawn) vehicles for transporting goods. Carmen were often employed by railway companies for local deliveries and collections of goods and parcels. Modern day van driver. Also sometimes someone who drove horse-drawn trams was called a Carman. So you were close with your taxi driver! Mandy :)

Hi Muffy Publicans,brothel keeper, nail makers, wooden hoop makers, farmers,steel workers,think first two most interesting, Caz xxx

Right just had a look...nothing too exciting except for the Earl and 2 Viscounts;0) Loads of Carmans....Taxi drivers i think? chimney sweep and to name but a few... Coal Dealer whos Daughter was a Coal Hawker?? A fiddlestring Apprentice..LOL! Loads of pipe makers A toffee Merchant;0) and can someone enlighten me on this.... A Licensed Victualler???