Genealogy Chat

I was just wondering which were your strangest occupations found for ancestors in the census. I've just discovered that one of my gr gr gr uncles was a 'bat catcher' in 1861 lol! Louise :OD

Strange occupations 1. Mole Catcher and Parish Clerk (he did both jobs)! 2. Night Soil Labourer (emptied cess pits overnight) Must be more but those are the ones that spring to mind! Cheers, Horatia

Hubby's ggg-uncle was: Arthur Cotton, Urinal Cleaner for the Parish of St Pancras......... Doesn't bear thinking about!! Merry

My best one was a 'featherer' and a 'marsh looker'. The first one made hats and the second one was a shepherd on the Sussex marshes (I had harboured hopes of him being a customs man on the look out for smugglers - oh hum).

Those are wonderful lol!

I'm nudging this one. I had the same idea except I was going to post it as 'Odd Jobs' LOL No odd ones for me yet but then trying to decipher a few. The Gypsy :-)

Not one of my relatives, sadly, but I came across this in a census: 'Professional Bowler & Vermin Killer'!

LOL visions of throwing cricket balls at rats!

Brilliant, isn't it?!

Not strange but rolls off the tongue quite nicely Perambulator painter

Two occupations I've come across are what looks like plate layer no idea what it could be though and the other looks like tile driver, so who knows,> I can't read the other yet.

On the 1901 Census I had one with the occupation of wait for it....... Photographic Taxidermist Can't work out if it was 2 different occupations or the same one. Had to ask on the tips board for help to read it. Still seems strange as all of the rest of the family were ag labs Julie in Oz

Gypsy Joe, that plate layer would probably have worked for the railways. Check out the people around him on the census image - that always gives you a better idea of the likely work someone was doing. If they are all something to do with railways you will know he is helping build tracks - if they all work in potteries - it will be a different sort of plate! If you google Old Occupations, you can check out any jobs you dont understand. Julie, perhaps he just told the enumerator to get stuffed.

Thanks Heather

Heather You may be right but his son was a photographers assistant. Maybe he helped prop up what they were taking photo's of Who knows Julie in Oz

Gypsey Joe My GG-Grandfather was a Platelayer. Platelayers laid and maintained railway tracks. Joy

I found a lady with relation to head as 'visitor' and occupation as 'on a visit'. lol Roger

Thanks Joy

I have two boys working as pages in 1851 which sounds very medieval and one relationship to head of house clearly written as drop out.

I shall have to put that on the census for my younges son next time!