Dictionary of Old Occupations

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Definitions of jobs Wabster - Watch Examiner

Wabster: Weaver.

Wadding maker: produced wadding from cotton rags which was used for stuffing furniture.

Wafer maker: made church wafers as used in Holy Communion.

Waggoner: a wagon driver.

Wailer: a boy employed to remove contaminants from amongst the coal, such as like slate or pyrites (Coal mining industry).

Wain house proprietor: owner of a wain house, who rented out space inside where carts and wagons could be stored.

Wainius: ploughman.

Wainwright: a wagon maker.

Waiter: a Customs Officer who collected duty on imported goods which arrived with the high tide.

Waitman: night watchman.

Wakeman: another name for a Waitman.

Waker: employed to wake workers in the early morning in time for work.

Walker: another name for a Fuller, who cleaned cloth.

Walkster:: another name for a Fuller, who cleaned cloth.

Waller: a builder of walls constructed from dry stone or brick, or a person who boiled brine to extract salt.

Want Catcher: a pest exterminator who caught moles.

Wanter: another name for a Want Catcher, who caught and exterminated moles.

Warder: a guard in a prison of gaol.

Wardrobe Dealer: a second-hand clothing merchant.

Warper: worked in the textile industry responsible for loading a thread called 'warp' onto looms, or a boat hauler at a docks, port or canal basin.

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

Warrener: essentially farmed rabbits as a source of food. Maintained rabbit warrens and trapped and killed rabbits.

Washman: plated metal items with tin in order to protect them from rust, or improve their look or performance.

Wasteman: a person who removed industrial waste, or someone working in the mining industry responsible for keeping working areas of the mine free from gas, which could be lethal to miners.

My thanks to the The Coventry Watch Museum Project group for their assistance with the following watchmaking job definitions.

Watch Cap Maker: made the internal movement cover of a watch.

Watch Case Joint Finisher: assembled the components of pocket watch cases.

Watch Dial Enameller: enamelled the watch face white and the numbers in black enamel.

Watch Dial Painter: used a very fine brush to paint numbers on the watch face.

Watch Engine Turner: engraved patterns on the backs of watchcases.

Watch Examiner: finished the watch by fitting the hands, regulating the watch.

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.

Dictionary of Old Occupations by Jane Hewitt

Interested in history? Researching your family tree and wondering what those old occupations you found on census records actually mean? Maybe you are a creative writer looking for details to give your work authenticity? The Dictionary of Old Occupations explains the meaning of job titles, trades, professions and terms dating back through the centuries.

A handy reference ebook for researchers, creative writers and history buffs. Jane Hewitt is an experienced, professional genealogist. Aided by her husband Paul she compiled the Dictionary of Old Occupations over several years. This A-Z is an informative and fascinating read, giving insight into the day to day experiences of real people from all walks of life over many centuries.

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