Old Name |
New Name or Meaning |
Sachrist / Sachristan |
Person retained in a cathedral to copy out music for the choir, and take care of the books.
One who is in charge of a sacristy.
A sexton. |
Saddle Tree Maker |
Made the wooden frames around which the saddle was formed with leather |
Saddler |
One who makes, repairs or sells saddles or other furnishings for horses |
Safernman |
Grower of Saffron. |
Saggar Maker /
Saggar Maker's Bottom Knocker |
Made saggars (fired clay containers used to hold ceramic items in the kiln whilst firing.) The Saggar Maker's Bottom Knocker was the saggar maker's assistant, usually a young boy, who was responsible for knocking clay into a large metal hoop using a huge flat mallet called a mawl, to form the bottom of the saggar. The saggar maker would then remove the hoop, and form the sides of the saggar onto the base - a much more skilled job than bottom-knocking (testing for cracks by knocking). Some saggar-makers also had a frame filler, who did a very similar job to the bottom knocker, but prepared the clay to make the sides of the saggars, rather than the bottom. More Info. |
Saloonist |
Saloon keeper |
Salt Boiler |
Obtained salt from boiling salt water |
Salter / Saucer |
Made or dealt in salt |
Saltpetre Man |
Collected urine and dung, used in the manufacture of saltpetre. More Info. |
Sarcinet Weaver |
Silk weaver |
Sandesman |
Ambassador or messenger |
Sawbones |
Physician |
Sawyer |
Timber mill/pit worker, sawing timber |
Say Weaver |
Made "say" - used in making table cloths bedding etc. |
Scagliola Maker |
Made imitation marble |
Scale Cutter |
In the Cutlery trade - cut the 'scales' of wood, bone or ivory that were used to make the handles on cutlery ie. there would be 'scales' that were riveted to each side of the metal handle. |
Scappler/Scabbler |
Would rough-shaped stone before final dressing by a stonemason |
Scavelman |
Cleaned and maintained waterways and ditches |
Scavenger / Scaleraker |
1) Street cleaner 2) Scavenger - also a child employed in a spinning mill to collect loose cotton lying about the floor under machinery |
Schrimpschonger |
Artisan carving bone, ivory, wood etc. |
Schumacker |
Shoemaker. Formula 1 champion driver!!!! More Info. |
Scotch Draper / Scotchman |
Sold goods door to door on instalment payments |
Scribe |
Clerk - writer |
Scriber |
Marked bales of cotton on the docks with weight prior to being sold by brokers |
Scribler |
A person who tends a wool/cotton-combing machine called a Scribler - the first process in carding the yarn |
Scribbler |
Minor or worthless author |
Scrimer |
Fencing master |
Scrivenor/er |
1) Professional or public copyist or writer 2) notary public |
Scrutineer |
Election judge |
Scutcher/Skutcher |
Beat flax to extract the linen fibres. Scutching is the process of extracting linen fibres from flax stems, originally done by hand and later by machine. More Info. |
Scullery Maid |
Female servant who was given the menial tasks |
Scullerman |
Sculled a boat, (rather than rowing it) in ports/rivers as a ferry |
Scullion |
Male servant who was given the menial tasks |
Sea Fencibles |
The Sea Fencibles were established by Order in Council in May 1798 to defend the coast from invasion; they comprised "all such of the inhabitants of the towns and villages of Great Britain as shall voluntarily offer themselves for the defence of the coast". They were taught to use musket, pike and cannon. They were to assist in the manning of defensive positions (Martello towers), plus coastal signal stations and eventually given small boats to patrol harbours. They were to be paid one shilling per day served. It was attractive to fishermen and the like as you were given immunity from being pressed into the Navy. They were organised into districts, commanded by Naval Officers. They grew to their maximum strength in 1810, when there were over 23,000 of them and were disbanded at the end of the wars in 1814. |
Seal Presser |
Glassmaking - sealed the bath to prevent air spoiling the glass surface |
Searcher |
Customs man (today called a rummager - self descriptive) who searched for contraband |
Secret Springer |
Watch spring maker |
Seedsman |
Sower or dealer in seeds |
Seeker of the Dead |
During the Plague, old women woere employed to diagnose the Plague from the buboes and count the dead to enable the compilation of Bills of Mortality, for which they were paid from 3 to 4 pence per corpse. Risky job! |
Self-acting Minder
Self Actor Minder |
Watched and minded the 'Self Acting Mule' - the name of a multi thread spinning machine. The original Mule was hand operated and was invented by Samuel Crompton of Bolton in 1779. It was made self-acting by Richard Roberts in 1830. More Info. - also see Throstle Spinner and Spinner |
Semi Lorer |
Made leather thongs |
Sempster / Sempstress / Sewster |
Seamstress |
Seneschal |
Senior steward at the manor |
Sewer Hunter |
Scavenged in the sewers |
Sewer Rat |
Bricklayer who made and repaired sewers and tunnels |
Sewing Clerk |
Oversaw and collected clothing piecework |
Sexton |
Church caretaker - sometimes dug graves or rang the bells |
Shagreen Casemaker |
Worked with shagreen leather |
Shallooner |
See Chaloner |
Shampooer |
Masseur/masseuse in a Turkish baths |
Shantyman |
Woodman, lumberman |
Sharecropper |
Tenant farmer whose pay was a fixed part of the crop |
Shearer |
As today, sheared the fleece from sheep |
Shearman / Sherman |
1) Skilled worker who sheared the nap from cloth - also Cropper 2) Cutter of metal. |
Sheath Maker |
Made sword and dagger scabbards |
Sheepman |
Shepherd |
Shepster |
1) Dressmaker 2) Sheep Shearer |
Sheriff |
Representative of Royal office in a Shire. More Info. |
Shingler |
Worked with an Iron Puddler, manipulating puddled balls of iron on an anvil |
Ship's Husband |
Supplied stores for and maintained ships in dock |
Ship Master |
Ship's Captain - still used today - often also the vessel's owner |
Shipwright |
Builder and repairer of ships |
Shoe Finder |
Sold cobbler's tools |
Shoesmith |
1) Cobbler 2) Shoed horses |
Shoe Wiper |
Polished shoes - a boot-boy |
Shook Maker |
Woodworker who specializes in the manufacturing of the thin wooden slats used on wooden shipping containers, especially on boxes used to ship fresh fruit. |
Shot Firer |
Employed blasting in quarries |
Shrager |
Trimmed and pruned trees |
Shrieve / Shriever |
Sheriff |
Shuffler |
Farm yardman |
Shunter |
Moved - shunted - rolling stock around in railway yards to make up, and break down, goods trains |
Shuttle Maker |
Made the wooden shuttles for the looms |
Shuttle Tip Maker |
Made the pointed steel shuttle tips and made in many different designs. A very skilled job as the tips had to withstand being hammered to make the shuttles fly through the yarns from one side of the loom to the other and had to have aerodynamic properties. Forged by hammering red-hot steel |
Sick Visitor |
Employed by Friendly Societies, who paid benefits to sick people, to ensure they were entitled to receive/continue to receive benefits. |
Sickleman |
Reaper |
Sidesman |
Churchwarden's assistant - esp. in church services |
Silkman |
Person engaged in the manufacture and or sale of silk |
Silk Drawer |
Drew silk from silk waste for spinning More Info. |
Silk Dresser |
Prepared the silk for weaving |
Silk Engine Turner |
Worked on automatic silk weaving looms |
Silk Mercer |
Silk merchant |
Silk Piecer |
Joined the broken threads in the silk spinning mills |
Silk
Staff Man |
Probably a worker more on a permanant rather than itinerary position. |
Silk Steward |
Manager of a silk weaving/spinning/winding and cleaning room |
Silk Thrower/Throwster |
Employed in the silk weaving industry, twisting silk into yarn |
Silk Twister |
Silk Spinner (from the raw) |
Silk Winder |
Wound the silk from the silkworm cocoons onto bobbins |
Silker |
Bound the ends of the silk fabric to prevent fraying |
Simpler |
Agriculturalist (herbalist) |
Sinker |
Sunk shafts for mining |
Sinker Maker |
Made lead weights used with hosiery knitting machines, (Nottingham Area) |
Sissor / Cissor |
Tailor |
Sizer |
Applied size to cloth in manufacture |
Skepper / Skelper |
Beehive maker/seller |
Skin Dresser |
"Dressed" - prepared animal skins for the manufacture of clothing or footwear |
Skinkster |
Alehouse tapster |
Skinner |
1) Dealer in hides 2) Mule driver |
Skip Maker |
Made skips (large baskets), used in mining and quarrying, for transporting product or personnel |
Skiver |
Used a knife to cut out the leather shapes which go to form a shoe or boot. More Info |
Slapper / Slaper |
Pottery worker who prepared the clay for the potter |
Slasher |
Applied size (Slasher Sizing) to the warp thread in weaving, to strengthen it and facilitate the weaving process. More Info. |
Slater |
Roofer |
Slate Enameller |
Painted decorative slate as used in fire surrrounds etc. |
Slate River |
Was employed to cleave blocks of quarried slate in the making of slates for roofing etc. (River pronounced as in diver) |
Slaymaker |
Made the reeds or slays used in weaving. Slays (wooden pegs) or reeds were used to separate the threads on the loom |
Sledman |
Moved goods by sled |
Slinger |
Person who used slings for loading goods on ships, wagons etc. |
Slopseller |
1) Slopshop keeper - readymade clothes 2) Basket seller |
Slubber |
Prepared cotton for spinning, removing the "slubs" or imperfections in the yarn. |
Slubber Doffer |
Removed the empty bobbins from the loom spindles |
Slubbing Frame Fitter |
Installed and maintained a Slubbing Frame, used in the preparation of cotton ready for spinning |
Smallware Maker |
Made "smallware" - tapes, braids, ribbons etc. |
Smelter |
1) Smelt fisherman 2) Smelter in an iron foundry |
Smiddy |
Smith - sometimes still used as a nickname for Smith surname |
Smith |
Metal worker - see also Engine Smith, Blacksmith, Fender Smith |
Smith's Striker |
A blacksmith who wielded a hammer whilst another blacksmith held the work-piece with tongs in the right position on the anvil |
Smoke Doctor |
Specialist in the construction or repair of
chimneys |
Smugsmith |
Smuggler |
Snobscat / Snob |
Shoe repairer |
Snow Boy / Snowy |
Ship's crew whose business it is to keep the white flakes caused by the refrigerator appliances from collecting below |
Snuffer Maker |
Made candle snuffers |
Soaper / Soper / Soap Boiler |
Soap Maker |
Sojourn Clothier |
Travelling clothes salesman |
Sortor |
Tailor |
Souter |
Shoe maker |
Sp Dealer |
Enumerators' abbreviation for a Spirit Dealer |
Spallier |
Tin worker's assistant |
Sperviter |
Sparrow keeper |
Spicer |
Spice dealer / grocer |
Spindle & Fly Maker |
Made the metal Spindles and Fly used in spinning machines |
Spinner |
Spun the yarn to make cloth More Info. More Info. Spinning Mule |
Spinster |
1) A woman who spins 2) unmarried woman |
Splitter |
Worked a machine splitting stone, timber etc. or did so by hand |
Spooner |
Spoon maker |
Spuller |
Inspected yarn, to see that it is well spun, and fit for the loom |
Sprig Maker |
A weaver of fine lace sprigs applique. eg 'Honiton' Lace in Devon |
Spring Smith |
Made the springs (usually leaf) used in carriages |
Spurrer / Spurrier |
Made spurs |
Squire / Esquire |
1) Country landed gentleman 2) Magistrate or justice of the peace 3) Knight's attendant 4) Professional man |
Stabler |
Ostler |
Stab-rag |
Tailor (military slang) mid 19c - also Rag-stabber (slang) |
Stallman |
Market stall holder |
Stampman |
Worked an ore-crushing machine |
Stationary Engine Driver |
Operated steam factory engine, used for all processes, usually linked by a system of shafts, pulleys and belts |
Stationary Engineer |
Maintained the factory steam engine and machinery |
Statist |
Politician |
Staymaker |
1) Corset maker 2) Made a 'stay' from ash trees, used in bell ringing - See |
Steam Hammer Driver |
Operated a large steam-operated hammer to forge iron and steel. Invented in Manchester in 1837 by George Naismith |
Steeplejack |
Worked on steeples, chimneys, flagpoles etc - still exists |
Steersman |
Ship's helmsman |
Stenciller |
Itinerant tradesmen who travelled around decorating the interior walls of houses with stencils to avoid the prohibitive cost of wallpaper |
Stenterer |
Worked a cloth finishing machine |
Step Boy |
Helped passengers on and off coaches |
Stick Maker |
Made walking sticks |
Stick Mounter |
Decorated walking sticks with silver, gold, bone or ivory mountings |
Still Room Maid |
Worked in the Still-Room in a large Victorian household, answerable to both the housekeeper and the cook, where she would concoct the kitchen cleaners, soaps, candles and cosmetics for the lady of the house. It also housed the jams pickles etc. that the cook would make |
Stockinger |
Knitter, weaver or seller of stockings |
Stock Turner |
Turned the wooden stocks used in guns |
Stoker |
Tended to and fed coal to boilers in mills and aboard ship |
Stoker - Refuse Destructor |
Fed refuse to an incinerator |
Stone Blue Maker |
Maker of Bristol Blue glassware - See |
Stone Dresser |
Prepared quarried stone for building. This would include cutting it into regular sized blocks with a reasonably even surface |
Stone Getter |
Stone-face quarry worker - See |
Stone Picker |
Removed stones from fields before planting |
Stoneman / Stonewarden |
Highway surveyor |
Stover / Stever/ Staver |
The
senior member of a partnership of miners and in charge at the surface |
Stowyer |
Stowed nets on fishing boats |
Stravaiger |
Vagrant |
Strawman |
(16/17c) Hired to give false evidence for the prosecution in Court |
Straw Joiner |
Thatcher (of roofs) |
Straw Plaiter |
Plaited straw for use in hat-making |
Streaker |
Laid out bodies for burial |
Street Orderly/Boy |
Street cleaner |
Strickler |
Skimmed off the scum from molten iron in a mould |
Stretcher / Tenter |
Stretched fabrics after weaving on a frame with hooks - origin of saying "on tenterhooks" |
Striker / Stryker |
1) Blacksmith's assistant 2) Harpoon man on a whaler |
Stripper |
Cleaned the carding machines in mills |
Stringer |
Made bowstrings |
Stroller |
1) A vagabond, vagrant; an itinerant beggar or pedlar 2)
An itinerant actor; a strolling player |
Stuff Gownsman |
Junior barrister |
Stuff Presser |
Placed the cloth within sheets of special stiff press paper and passed it into a hot-pressing machine which gave the finish to the cloth |
Stuff Weaver |
Wove "stuff" - a coarse cloth, more especially of worsted, made of long or ‘combing wool’ distinguished from other woollen cloths by the absence of any nap or pile |
Sucksmith |
Made Ploughshares |
Sugar Baker |
1) Sugar Refiner 2) Made confectionery or cake decorations
3) Fancy baker. More Info. |
Sumner |
Summoner or Apparitor |
Sumpter |
Porter |
Supercargo |
Officer on a chartered merchant ship who is in charge of cargo and the commercial concerns of the ship (on behalf of the charterers) - Still in use |
Surfaceman |
A Roadworker |
Sutler |
Merchant or peddler in an army camp |
Swabber |
Seaman (slang) |
Swailer |
1) Miller 2) Grain dealer |
Swain |
Herdsman |
Swaith Maker |
A Swaith / Swathe was (usually) a cotton or silk shroud used for burial |
Sweep |
Chimneysweep |
Swell Maker |
Made shallow baskets |
Swiller |
A basket weaver/maker - an old Cumberland name |
Swineyard / Swineherd |
Pig Keeper |
Swingler |
Beat flax to remove the coarse parts |
Sword Cutler |
Made swords |