Occupations of Yesteryear

Occupations of Yesteryear

submitted by Dan Burrows

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 or windows or seems to make them watertight by using tar or oakum-hemp fiber produced by taking old ropes apart.

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  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

Longshoreman    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             Am itinerant tin pot and pan seller and repairman

Tipstaff            Policeman

Travers           Toll bridge collection

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