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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.


An Introduction to English Phonology by April M.S. McMahon

An Introduction to English Phonology introduces undergraduates to the basic tools and concepts necessary for the outline description of English phonological systems and processes.

By working through the book and the various exercises included, students should come to understand the need for a dedicated system of description and transcription for speech sounds, and for a degree of phonological abstraction. They should learn to carry out elementary, broad phonetic transcription, and be able to establish contrastive vowel and consonant systems for their own varieties and to express simple generalisations reflecting the productive and predictable patterns of English sounds


Further information

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