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Old Photographs, Recognition, Handwriting Deciphering => Handwriting Deciphering & Recognition => Topic started by: Eidde on Friday 22 July 11 05:08 BST (UK)

Title: French occupation
Post by: Eidde on Friday 22 July 11 05:08 BST (UK)
I'm wondering if anyone can suggest what the occupation might be - it's from a 1872 Boulogne census. It looks like 'plumier' to me - according to my dictionary this means 'pencil case', which seems like a strange way for a man to make a living.

Any ideas?

Eddie
Title: Re: French occupation
Post by: gortonboy on Friday 22 July 11 07:38 BST (UK)
Occupation. Old French,, plumier, Latin plumarius ,,,‘a dealer in feathers or plumes
Title: Re: French occupation
Post by: Eidde on Friday 22 July 11 13:53 BST (UK)
Thanks, Gortonboy - makes sense.

Eddie
Title: Re: French occupation
Post by: Redroger on Friday 22 July 11 19:18 BST (UK)
No doubt a common occupation in that era. My cousin's grandmother, the one we don't share was an ostrich feather washer in the 1891 English census.
Title: Re: French occupation
Post by: bykerlads on Friday 22 July 11 20:04 BST (UK)
Interested to see a French census- are they available on-line, if not how does one access them? any tips?
Title: Re: French occupation
Post by: Eidde on Saturday 23 July 11 03:00 BST (UK)
My census records come from the Nord-Pas-de-Calais departmental archives - they're online but not indexed, so it means hours (days, weeks...) of scanning to find what you want!

There's a very useful thread which contains some background info and excellent tips from jorose and, further on in the thread, a list of links to departmental and municipal archives provided by ozcanucka:

http://www.rootschat.com/forum/index.php/topic,173401.0.html

Bonne chance!
Title: Re: French occupation
Post by: jancis on Saturday 23 July 11 08:12 BST (UK)
Quote from: Redroger on Friday 22 July 11 19:18 BST (UK)
No doubt a common occupation in that era. My cousin's grandmother, the one we don't share was an ostrich feather washer in the 1891 English census.

WOW! why do other people get such interesting ancestors. My best was 'mangle woman'.
Title: Re: French occupation
Post by: Redroger on Sunday 24 July 11 18:23 BST (UK)
I also have a highway robber!
Title: Re: French occupation
Post by: jancis on Sunday 24 July 11 18:26 BST (UK)
Oh I am so envious.....

I do have a few gory deaths though.

My 'caught in ships winch' trumps your highway robbery!
Title: Re: French occupation
Post by: Redroger on Sunday 24 July 11 18:29 BST (UK)
Sounds very painful, but how about being a survivor (sole I believe) of the shelling of a forward Regimental HQ in WW1) that was my father!
Title: Re: French occupation
Post by: jancis on Sunday 24 July 11 18:35 BST (UK)
I bow to that. Surviving must have been a mixed blessing, and so traumatic on all counts.

My heart goes out to him.
Title: Re: French occupation
Post by: Redroger on Sunday 24 July 11 18:41 BST (UK)
Never talked about it. I only found out from an annotated copy of his regimental history, an old photo and putting 2 and 2 together. That was only last year too!
Title: Re: French occupation
Post by: jancis on Sunday 24 July 11 21:37 BST (UK)
My dad never talked much about his WW11 navy days either.
I think some memories have to be hidden. To share them would just bring back everything that was awful in these young men's lives.
Title: Re: French occupation
Post by: Eidde on Monday 25 July 11 01:40 BST (UK)
@ redroger

I have a mail coach guard!

Eddie
Title: Re: French occupation
Post by: Redroger on Monday 25 July 11 16:31 BST (UK)
My ancestor robbed a rich farmer on his way home from market. The loot was £80, £75 of which was in cheques they couldn't read. Not guilty of a stage coach, would have hanged for that!