Map Man, Royal Engineers Maps

[Lettice]

Hello, I wonder if anyone can help me.

I found an ancestor, Joseph Jewell Catton, at Brompton Barracks, Gillingham, Kent in 1851 with, I'm fairly sure, the above occupation.  I've read a bit about it and I assume he was involved in the making of early ordnance survey maps.

Thing is, in 1841 he was a policeman in Woolwich (listed as Cutten) and from 1861 onward he was back as a labourer in the Arsenal, so it doesn't seem like he was particularly skilled. 

Does anyone know what he might have been doing?  helping with surveying and measuring perhaps?

[stanmapstone]

The Ordnance Survey was under the supervision of officers and men of the Royal Engineers until 1939. The military component was not finally eliminated until 1983.

Stan

[stanmapstone]

It is not Map man it is Mess Man Royal Engineers Mess with a 'long s'
See http://www.british-genealogy.com/resources/census/writing.html
Stan

[Lettice]

Thank you,  it's obvious when you know!

Sorry, don't know much about these things but does that mean he was a sort of officer's servant?

[stanmapstone]

A messman in the Military was a cook or a waiter.

Stanm