Dictionary of Old Occupations
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Definitions of jobs Ealdorman - Eyer
Ealdorman:the Chief Magistrate of a Shire. Working under control of the King, he commanded the army for the area under his control. The word comes from the phrase 'Elder Man'.
Earer: another term for a ploughman. But who would fancy asking for an earer's lunch?
Earth Stopper: worked for the Hunt, blocking up animal burrows to prevent the fox escaping its grisly fate.
East India Man: worked for The East India Company.
Edge Toolmaker: crafted metal to make edged tools and weapons such as knives etc.
Egg Factor: sold eggs or poultry.
Eggler: another name for an Egg Factor.
Elephants Teeth Dealer: traded in ivory.
Ellerman: traded in lamp oil.
Ellyman: another name for an Ellerman, possibly derived from the term 'oilman'.
Elymaker: produced oil for lamps.
Empresario: commonly known as a show business term, but also referred to land brokers who granted the right to settle land in the New World.
Encaustic Ware Maker: worked in the pottery industry, producing tiles. Encaustic tiles get their colour from the clay, not from glaze.
Endholdernn: another name for an inn keeper.
Engine Cleaner: an early mechanic, who cleaned steam engines to remove ash.
Engine Keeper: an early mechanic, who not only maintained but also drove a steam engine.
Engineman: worked in the mining industry, responsible for operating the winding machinery at a colliery. Was managed by a Bankman.
Engine Smith: crafted and fitted metal engine parts.
Engine Tenter: stretched out woollen cloths to dry using a machine in a mill.
Engine Turner: engraved decorative engine-turned designs onto metal goods.
Enumerator: gathered census data, going door to door. Without these fellows, modern family tree research would be much harder!
Copyright: Jane Hewitt. This dictionary is authorised for use on www.familyresearcher.co.uk only.
Equerry: derived from the French word for stable, an Equerry was a senior person responsible for the care of the horses of a person of standing. These days the word refers to a personal assistant for a member of a Royal family.
Eremite: a recluse. This includes people living alone in accordance with religious vows.
Erite: most online dictionaries of old jobs define this word as meaning heretic. Probably not a trade or profession, but you might find it in old documents.
Esquire: the companion to a noble, gentleman or to a knight in earlier times.
Estafette: a courier who delivered messages on horseback. Derived from French.
Eweherd: another name for a shepherd.
Exchequer: everyone's favourite person, a tax collector.
Exciseman: another popular person, collected tax on imported goods.
Executor: executes a person's last will and testament.
Executrix : the term for a female Executor, who executed wills and testaments.
Expressman : a wagon driver who delivered parcels and mail.
Eyer: another name for a Holer, who was responsible for making the holes in sewing needles through which thread can be passed.
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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