Genealogy Chat

Please, no one panic, there is no cruelty to kitties involved in being a Cat meat man. I have one in my tree and I have a photo of one in a book. A cat meat man went door to door with a hand cart selling meat for cats.(Who remembers slabs of Fido then) Tradition in my family has it that if a regular customer was out the Cat meat man would wrap the food in newspaper and post it through the letterbox. PS The book has another name for the cat meat man, pussy butcher.

Hi Lorraine, I have a seller of cats meat also. As a great cat lover I am wondering did he sell meat for cats or cats for meat ? I hope it's not the latter. Karen : (

Hi Natalie Could you please tell me if OTTAK maker is in your book? Many thanks for offering Best wishes I

Hi Maureen, Thank you for your idea about null working (from home) I should have thought of that one. I was just so confused - having put it into a search engine I found quite a few people null working from home and assumed it must be an occupation. Sorry I didn't reply sooner. Regards, Cleo

Hi, My Great Grandfather was A CATS MEAT MAN,I think I have an idea what it was,I just wondered whether you could find this one. Lorraine

Hi Kellie, A wheelwright is defined as a wheelmaker/repairer. Wheels consisted of 3 parts, the hub (or centre), the spokes and the fellies which made up the outside rim. Many wheelwrights also made carts, carriages and wagons. Hope that helps Natalie

hi any ideas what a wheelwright could be kellie

I think you will find the correct web site for old occupations is: www(.)gendocs(.)demon(.)co(.)uk(/)trades(.)html Remove brackets. A Puddler is one who works with clay. Janet

Thanks Natalie - I had a feeling that what a bootcloser did would be obvious!!!! but there was always a chance that it would be an obscure occupation! Gloria

Hiya all, I belive the null as in working from home is the same as nill. So under occupation the enumerator would have written nill....working at home or from home. Hope that makes sense. Some more occupations I've come across.. Honeycomb knotter, bottom minder in mill, throstle spinner, fish puller,potters handler, layer in tobacco works. I think we need vivid imaginations !

Hi Gloria, definition of a 'boot closer' is a shoe manufactory worker who stiches the upper parts of the shoe Natalie

Natalie, Thanks very much for having a look for me - it remains a mystery (one of many this family tree lark throws up) Nullworking doesn't even sound like something you'd do for an occupation. Oh well if anyone has any ideas I'd love to hear them. Thanks again, Cleo

thanks for trying Natalie - looks like this one will have to remain a mystery! Christine :))

Sorry Cleo, No definition for nullworking/nullworker Natalie

Hi Natalie, I have an ancester (female) who was nullworking at home. Having looked on search engines all I come up with is several other people (all who nullwork at home?) Have you got any idea what this might have been? Kind Regards, Cleo

Margaret As Geoff says for a 'gilder', would have used gold leaf to decorate objects Denis Couldn't find a definition for 'tea traveller' - maybe as an early salemans as you suggested! Maybe you'll have more luck if you try one of the web sites that have been posted Natalie

Hi all, another good site for old occs is: http://www.gendocs.demon.co.uk-trades.html#TOP Janice

Hi Natalie ,maybe you can help me ,with a rellie,believe it or not ,in an area thats all miners, shipyard ,and foundry workers my gt granda was ,a tea traveller?.Is this like an early version of a travelling salesman?

A maltster treated barley to turn it to malt (NOT treat barley with malt). A gilder would apply gilt to something to colour it gold. Perhaps a skin preparer would remove the last traces of flesh from leather before the tanning process

Hi Natalie My great granfather was a Gilder maker any ideas please Margaret