Dictionary of Old Occupations

Full Index of Occupations

Jobs beginning A-Ae | Jobs beginning Af-Am | Jobs beginning An-Aq | Jobs beginning Ar-Az

Glossary of jobs beginning Af - Am

Ag Lab: abbreviation for Agricultural Labourer.

Agister: person who takes cattle to pasture for a fee, an Official of Royal Forests who collected grazing fees, or a person responsible for New Forest ponies.

Alabasterer: worked with or carved alabaster (white/pastel coloured gypsum).

Alblastere: crossbowman.

Alchemist: commonly believed to be medieval Chemist who claimed to able to make gold from base metal. Alchemy was in fact a philosophical or spiritual discipline which had a practical aspect which might be considered an early form of chemistry. Sir Isaac Newton is a famous example of an alchemist.

Alderman: a senior member of a town council ranked below the Mayor, for example the famous Alderman Hewitt of Coventry.

Ale-Conner: appointed by the court-leet to examine beer for quality and checked measures to prevent fraud.

Ale Draper: publican or seller of ale.

Ale Founder: appointed by the court-leet to examine beer for quality and checked measures to prevent fraud.

Ale Taster: appointed by the court-leet to examine beer for quality and checked measures to prevent fraud.

Ale Tunner: filled the Ale tuns/casks at Breweries.

Alewife: female Inn or Alehouse keeper.

All Spice: seller of foodstuffs, i.e. a grocer.

Almanac Man: employed by the Court of Sewers, this official warned of exceptionally high tides in the area of the river Trent.

Almoner: a Monk responsible for dispensing alms (Food and clothes) to the poor, a person who gives to charity, or a manager / person in charge of an Almshouse.

Almsman: a person in receipt of Alms / Charity.

Alnager: an official who examined woollen goods for quality and applied the stamp/town seal of approval.

Amah: a wet nurse paid to suckle another woman’s child.

Amanuensis: a secretary or a stenographer, which is a person employed to write another’s words often because they were unable to write for themselves

Amber Cutter: cut and polished amber for making into jewellery.

Ambler: an Officer of the Royal Stables who broke in horses.

This dictionary is my own work, and copyright Jane Hewitt. I sometimes find unauthorised (i.e. stolen) copies of my website content appearing on other people's websites. If you should read a group of identical glossary definitions elsewhere on the web, consider whether such sites are reputable or not.

	Alchemy and Alchemists by Sean Martin
Alchemy has traditionally been viewed as 'the history of an error', an example of mediaeval gullibility and greed, in which alchemists tried to turn lead into gold, create fabulous wealth and find the elixir of life. But alchemy has also been described as 'the mightiest secret that a man can possess', and it obsessed the likes of Isaac Newton, Robert Boyle and many of the founders of modern science. This book explores the history of the so-called Royal Art, from its mysterious beginnings in Egypt and China, through the Hellenistic world and the early years of Islam and into mediaeval Europe.

Alchemy and Alchemists by Sean Martin

Alchemy has traditionally been viewed as 'the history of an error', an example of mediaeval gullibility and greed, in which alchemists tried to turn lead into gold, create fabulous wealth and find the elixir of life. But alchemy has also been described as 'the mightiest secret that a man can possess', and it obsessed the likes of Isaac Newton, Robert Boyle and many of the founders of modern science.

This book explores the history of the so-called Royal Art, from its mysterious beginnings in Egypt and China, through the Hellenistic world and the early years of Islam and into mediaeval Europe.

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