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