Bast closer?

[Rex N P]

Does anyone know what a bast closer was?  In a family in the 1851 Scotland Census, the 12 year old son was an apprentice bast closer.  The boy's father was a shoe maker, if that provides any clues.
Rex

[phrishy]

Maybe somebody could take a look at the image to see what they thought, I don't have access to it to give an opinion on the writing, but possibly "bast" should be "last" which is the wooden shape used in making shoes.

http://podiatry.curtin.edu.au/shoo.html

[Tati]

Hi both 

Could it be Boot Closer? 

[stanmapstone]

As his father was a shoemaker I would say it is  'Boot Closer'

Stan

[Rex N P]

Thanks for your comments.  I agree that either 'last closer' or 'boot closer' would make more sense.  Although I don't know what the 'closer' part refers to.

Unfortunately the image is not available with the 1851 Scotland census, so we can't see what the writing looked like.

By the way, I did a search for 'bast', and there is such a word, apparently it is a fibrous mat that comes from beneath the bark of certain trees.  And it was used to make very inferior quality shoes in ancient times, but almost certainly not in C19.  So I agree with the 'last' or 'boot'.

Cheers

Rex

[suzard]

boot closer+ one who sews the uppers of boots

(presumably to the soles)


Suz

[old rowley]

Suz is correct, a Boot Closer is one who stitches all the  upper parts that make up boots or shoes to the soles.

old rowley