Dictionary of Old Occupations

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Definitions of jobs Devil - Dog Whipper

Devil: refers to a Printer’s Devil, a junior or apprentice in a printing establishment. Duties included fetching type and mixing inks.

Deviller: operated machinery in the printing industry.

Dexter: occupational name meaning ‘a Dyer of cloth’.

Dey Wife: a woman working in a dairy.

Die Sinker: a metalworker. Die sinking is the process of machining cavities into steel blocks for use in moulding.

Digger: worked in quarries or mines.

Dikeman: dug ditches and dikes. A dike is a ditch where the excavated soil has been banked up alongside in order to raise the height.

Dipper: worked in the pottery industry, glazing goods.

Dipper Glazier: alternate name for a dipper, who glazed goods in the pottery industry.

Dish Thrower: worked in the pottery industry making dishes, bowls etc.

Dish Turner: operated a lathe to make wooden bowls and the like.

Disher: short for Dish Thrower, person who made dishes and bowls.

Disintegrator Attendant: pottery worker who operated a machine called a disintegrator.

Distiller: maker of alcoholic spirits.

Distributor: a Parish official in charge distributing aid to folk in the workhouse / poorhouse.

Diviner: claimed to be able to dowse for underground water.

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

Dock Cooper: made barrels at a dockyard.

Dock Foyboatman: towed boats into docks / ports.

Docker: unloaded cargo at a dockyard.

Dockmaster: person in charge of docks.

Doffer: worked in the textile industry, removed full bobbins.

Dog Breaker: animal trainer.

Dog Killer: rounded up and killed stray dogs.

Dog Leech: nickname for a vet.

Dog Whipper: kept wild dogs out of the churchyard.

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.

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