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Old Occupations

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-hem
                           fiber produced by taking old ropes apart
Chaisemaker       Carriage maker
Chandler             Dealer or trader; one who makes or sells candles;
                          retailer of groceries, ship supplier
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 yelet 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                An 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

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