Dictionary of Old Occupations
Click here to return to the index page of the Dictionary of Old Occupations
Definitions of jobs Peeler - Pictor
Peeler: Irish nickname for a policeman. Sir Robert Peel is credited with founding the police force, hence the term 'Peeler'. In England, the nickname 'Bobby' was used instead.
Peever: a pepper and spice merchant, from the French word 'peyvrier'.
Pelterer: a Furrier; one who dealt in animal skins (pelts).
Pensioner: retired person in receipt of a pension.
Perambulator: a surveyor. The name comes from the surveyor's wheel, known as a clickwheel or perambulator.
Perchemear: made parchment from sheepskin, calfskin or goatskin.
Peregrinator: a tramp, vagabond or drifter. The name means 'to travel on foot'.
Periwig Maker: alternate name for a Peruker, who made gentleman's wigs.
Peruke Maker: alternate name for a Peruker, who made gentleman's wigs.
Peruker: made gentleman's wigs in the 18th or 19th centuries.
Pessoner: a fish merchant.
Petardier: person in charge of a petard. The term dates back to the 16th century. Petards were bombs which were carried on foot and placed against doors, tunnels or walls before being detonated in order to breach fortifications during sieges.
Peterman: a fisherman. The name derives from St. Peter.
Pettifogger: an unscrupulous lawyer or attorney.
Petty Chapman: a travelling merchant, Pedlar or Hawker.
Pew Opener: held the keys for privately owned church pew boxes, and unlocked the pew when required.
Pewterer: a pewtersmith; metalworker who made goods out of pewter, an alloy of tin.
Pharmacist: health professional dispensing medicine - a chemist. The term was commonly used in Britain in the 19th century.
Copyright: Jane Hewitt. This dictionary is authorised for use on www.familyresearcher.co.uk only.
Pharmacist's Mate: a US military term for person who gives medical care to members of the armed forces.
Philosophical Instrument Maker : made scientific / mathematical instruments.
Phonologist: a specialist in the sounds making up spoken languages. Phonology is considered a subfield of linguistics.
Phrenologist: practised the pseudo-science of phrenology, an early kind of psychology where personal conduct was attributed to the shape of a person's head. Was popular in the first half of the 19th century, and was respected in its time.
Picker: work in the textile industry, operating pickers, which move shuttles back and forth across a loom.
Picker Maker: made pickers from leather for use in the textile industry.
Pictor: an artist who painted pictures.
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.
How to be a Tudor: A Dawn-to-Dusk Guide to Everyday Life by Ruth Goodman
The Tudor era encompasses some of the greatest changes in our history. But while we know about the historical dramas of the times - most notably in the court of Henry VIII - what was life really like for a commoner like you or me?
To answer this question, the renowned "method historian" and historical advisor to the BBC Ruth Goodman has slept, washed and cooked as the Tudors did - so you don't have to! She is your expert guide to this fascinating era, drawing on years of practical historical study to show how our ancestors coped with everyday life, from how they slept to how they courted.
Using a vast range of sources, she takes you back to the time when soot was used as toothpaste and the "upper crust" of bread was served to the wealthier members of the house. Exploring how the Tudors learnt, danced and even sat and stood according to the latest fashion, she reveals what it all felt, smelt and tasted like, from morning until night.
