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General => The Common Room => Topic started by: sandra63 on Friday 28 September 12 22:36 BST (UK)

Title: Job description - 1851
Post by: sandra63 on Friday 28 September 12 22:36 BST (UK)
My 3x great grandfathers job in the 1851 census has been listed as "Illuminating Optician". I have tried searching to ascertain exactly what this involved but haven't been very successful.  Does anyone out there have any ideas that you can throw my way.

Many thanks
Sandra

Title: Re: Job description - 1851
Post by: polly88 on Saturday 29 September 12 04:53 BST (UK)
Sorry can't help Sandra.  It sounds like something to do with opticians, I don't know when glasses first appeared but I wonder what early opticians were called?  Maybe illuminating opticians?  I did a search but could only find this site, to do with pre-cameras - magic lanterns.  Good luck in your search.

http://www.collectorsweekly.com/photographs/magic-lantern
Title: Re: Job description - 1851
Post by: 3sillydogs on Saturday 29 September 12 08:20 BST (UK)
Hi,

Some suggestions are that illuminating opticians specialised in gas lighting
Title: Re: Job description - 1851
Post by: stanmapstone on Saturday 29 September 12 08:57 BST (UK)
See http://archiver.rootsweb.ancestry.com/th/read/ENG-LANCS-WOOLTON-MUCH/2006-09/1159095874 which mentions a Joseph Perks (The 1851 census return describes him as an "Illuminating optician")

Stan
Title: Re: Job description - 1851
Post by: sandra63 on Saturday 29 September 12 11:31 BST (UK)
Thank you all for your contributions, interesting that Joseph is in the Liverpool census of West Derby because that is where my 3x GG was living at the time.  With this information I can delve further.

Best regards
Sandra
Title: Re: Job description - 1851
Post by: Nick29 on Saturday 29 September 12 12:43 BST (UK)
I think it may have involved looking into the eye with the aid of an external light, which is now routine in a modern opticians.  Previously, opticians would have specialised in the effects of lenses on the eyes.