Dictionary of Old Occupations

Click here to return to the index page of the Dictionary of Old Occupations

Definitions of jobs Blue Dyer - Boniface

Blue Dyer: used blue dye to lighten textiles like calico during production or laundering.

Blue Maker: produced the blue dye used to lighten textiles.

Blue Slater: a Slater who specialised in traditional Welsh blue/grey coloured slate such as the traditional Bangor Blue.

Bluestocking: a female intellectual / writer, or a member of the 18th century Blue Stocking Society which encouraged female education.

Bluffer: Publican.

Blunger Operator: works the blunger machine which produces slip by mixing clay with water in the pottery industry.

Board Liner: person who pastes patterned or plain paper onto cardboard.

Boarder: person who resided and ate meals with the family in return for a fixed fee.

Boarding Officer: checks ships papers and cargo for contraband before permission is granted to enter port.

Boardman: a tenant of a manor who paid for his lodgings by providing his master with food, or an Attendance Officer employed to check up on absent children.

Boardwright: old occupational title for a carpenter.

Boatman: - a person who dealt with the mooring of boats, or who worked on or was in charge of a boat / barge.

Boatswain: member of a ship's crew in charge of the deck hands and responsible for general ship repairs.

Bobber: used a rotating bob which was covered with felt or leather to polish metal.

Bobbin Carrier: carried bobbins to the looms in the textile industry.

Bobbin Ligger: worked on a machine which filled bobbins with thread for weaving. Their task was to replace full bobbins with empty ones.

Bobbin Turner: cut wooden bobbins on a lathe for use in the weaving industry.

Bobby: slang for Police officer which arose because the founder of the British police force was Robert Peel.

Body Maker: made stiffened women's undergarments called bodices.

Bodger: chair maker.

Bog Iron Hunter: searched for iron ore in peat bogs.

Boiler Plater: produced iron plate used to make boilers.

Boilermaker: a skilled metalworker who produced steel fabrications. Often repaired metal boilers, but in later years may have worked on other metalworking projects such as bridge construction.

Boilersmith: early 19th century term for a Boilermaker, a skilled metalworker / craftsman.

Bolter: sifter of meal or flour prior to bagging.

Bondager: female field worker or farmhand.

Bondman: unpaid servant or a medieval serf. The term may also describe a villager.

Copyright: Jane Hewitt. This dictionary is authorised for use on www.familyresearcher.co.uk only.

Bondsman: person who acts as surety and vouches for someone else.

Bone Button Maker: produced buttons made from bones on a lathe.

Bone Cutter: similar to a Bone Button Maker; produced buttons from animal bones. When found on census returns, the title is an abbreviation of 'Bone Button Cutter'.

Bone Lace Maker: produces lace using bobbins made from bone.

Bone Mould Turner: produced moulds used in button manufacture.

Bone Picker: collected bones for glue manufacture.

Bonesetter: not so much an occupation as a term for a person who set broken bones.

Boniface: Publican / innkeeper either employed or on their own account.

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.

The Family Tree Irish Genealogy Guide: How to Trace Your Ancestors in Ireland by Claire Santry

Discover your Irish roots! Trace your Irish ancestors from American shores back to the Emerald Isle. This in-depth guide from Irish genealogy expert Claire Santry will take you step-by-step through the exciting--and challenging--journey of discovering your Irish roots. You'll learn how to identify immigrant ancestor, find your family's county and townland of origin, and locate key genealogical resources that will breathe life into your family tree. With historical timelines, sample records, resource lists, and detailed information about where and how to find your ancestors online, this guide has everything you need to uncover your Irish heritage.

In this book, you'll find:

  • The best online resources for Irish genealogy
  • Detailed guidance for finding records in the old country, from both the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland
  • Helpful background on Irish history, geography, administrative divisions, and naming patterns
  • Case studies that apply concepts and strategies to real-life research problems

Whether your ancestors hail from the bustling streets of Dublin or a small town in County Cork, The Family Tree Irish Genealogy Guide will give you the tools you need to track down your ancestors in Ireland.

Buy Now


Finding our free resources helpful? You can support us by recommending our research services to your friends, or make a donation. Thank you.