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Author Topic: portal canvasser  (Read 1286 times)

Offline petalxxx

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portal canvasser
« on: Sunday 23 July 06 22:55 BST (UK) »
has any one any idea what this job entails ? ;D

Offline stockman fred

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Re: portal canvasser
« Reply #1 on: Sunday 23 July 06 23:34 BST (UK) »
Is it a posh way of saying "door-to-door salesman?" A portal is a doorway and grandad's 1880 dictionary says a canvasser is "One who solicits orders or votes."
Just a guess, though,
Fred.

Offline petalxxx

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Re: portal canvasser
« Reply #2 on: Monday 24 July 06 13:18 BST (UK) »
on the census someone has written "phota" above it   and that my gggrandfather had his own account could be wrong but i think it means he was self employed so im still guessing

Offline oldcrone

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Re: portal canvasser
« Reply #3 on: Monday 24 July 06 13:35 BST (UK) »
hi Petalxxx

A canvaser (one 's') is someone who makes canvas.  Have you looked for your relative's occupation on other censuses?

Clara
Shaw/Smith: Ottawa, Canada<br />Davies/Hill: Monmouth/Gloucestershire/Middlesex/Surrey<br />Chatfield: Kent<br />Crone: Kent/Sussex/Surrey/Ireland<br />Lyden: Ireland<br />Pannell, Newland, Proudley (travellers): Sussex/Surrey<br />Dobson, Hollins: Staffs/Cheshire/Warwicks<br />Boys: Sussex/London<br />Payne: Suffolk/London
Hasting(s): Sussex

Offline stockman fred

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Re: portal canvasser
« Reply #4 on: Monday 24 July 06 14:06 BST (UK) »
Hi all,Two more ideas from "The Everyman Encyclopaedia "(c1900) " Canvass- to sift through canvas,hence to examine carefully",
or "Canvassing- applied to the soliciting of trade or business by commercial travellers."
But was does the "portal" mean? ???

Fred
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