Old-Timey Jobs

{Posted   25 February 2013}

  Do you know what a thude-weald was? In the 1700s, a thude-weald was a person who looked after the woods ~ in other words an occupation similar to a game warden today.

  And how about the neck-stamper? In the early 1800s, the neck-stamper was (usually) a young boy who collects pots and other containers belonging to an alehouse, which had been used to send beer to private houses.

  I'm sure you know what an ostler did. He was basically a stableman who took care of the horse(s) for someone staying at an inn. But, although you probably already knew what an ostler was, do you know what a daisy-kicker did? This was a trick question; the name daisy-licker was just another name for an ostler.

  The pellipar was a very necessary occupation at a time when animal skins were utilized in clothing, because he was a dresser or skinner of those animal hides.

  And finally, one of the most popular occupations back then was that of the xylopola ~ which, no doubt, everyone knows was a woodmonger ~ and, I'm sure, everyone knows one who sold wood to others.

  There's a rather extensive list of Occupations, Professions & Offices Of Our Colonial Ancestors on the Mother Bedford website at: http://www.motherbedford.com/Occupations.htm