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Research in Other Countries => US Lookup Requests => United States of America => US Completed Requests => Topic started by: mjn on Monday 06 August 12 19:46 BST (UK)
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According to the 1910 census, one of my ancestors was a presser in a press shop. I've no idea what this is but hope it's something to do with butchery. Can anyone enlighten me, please?
mjn
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The only press shop I have come across is in a metal working workshop where a sheet of metal is placed under a hydrolic press to produce such things as car body panels.
Mike
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My thoughts had to with either a printing press or ironing, but Emjaybee is probably right.
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have to agree with Shelley. Would have thought either tailoring or a print workshop.
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Have done several trees where the man is a "presser" and he is in the tailoring business.
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My thoughts had to with either a printing press or ironing,
Presser is, to my knowledge, not a term used in printing. Go for tailoring, hatmaking, ironing, sheet metal working - or (new additions to this list thanks to the OED) a person who presses wool into bales or Ceramics. A person who makes items of pottery by pressing prepared clay into plaster of Paris moulds. Also Glass-making: a person who shapes glass by a similar method.
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Thanks for all your replies. I think I need to investigate a bit further. Does anyone know if a presser could possibly be someone who processes pressed beef (or what we call corned beef in UK)?
mjn
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My mum worked in a laundry in Edinburgh during the war and her occupation on marriage cert. was given
as a presser .
She used a big steam press to"iron" sheets and blankets etc. for hospitals.
Jessie
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I can't imagine it being in the beef industry.
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I am wondering about the canned meats industry, did they perhaps press the cans on-site so to speak, they must have had to seal the contents in at least.
mike
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Wiki suggests that meats require "pressure canning". See this link:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Food_preservation#Canning_and_bottling
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I've just been Googling "meat pressure canning" and variants including "industrial scale" etc. and it would seem that pressing meat is an integral part of meat canning. So I assume that your relative could have indeed been a presser in a meat processing business. :)
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Not knowing what city we're dealing with, most people during that time probably lived within walking distance of their work. Have you looked at those who live around him to see what business they worked in? It would show whether there was a slaughter house/meat packer, print shop, or tailor in the area.
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Depending on where the person lived, there may be a city directory that gives his occupation and/or the address where he worked.
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Thanks everyone for your help. You've given me lots of avenues to explore. I think the most likely job was working on meat production as all the other records I can find list his occupation as a butcher/cattle dealer/farmer.
mjn