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Author Topic: Colporteur  (Read 1986 times)

Offline ladybirdno1

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Colporteur
« on: Sunday 25 May 08 07:38 BST (UK) »
Could someone tell me what a Colporteur is please, i have just received a document with this as the occupation on it.

Offline blodwen

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Re: Colporteur
« Reply #1 on: Sunday 25 May 08 07:49 BST (UK) »
According the website of old occupations, a Colporteur is "the peddler of Religious books".

Viv
Gywnedd/Caernarvonshire: Roberts, Evans;
Glamorganshire: Griffiths, Thomas;
Middlesex: Sibley, Barnett;
Beds: Sibley
Kent: Jury, Hunt;
Yorkshire/Middlesbrough: Wright, Sullivan;
Irleand/Cork: Donovan, Sullivan;
Northern Ireland (Monaghan): Keefe;

Census information is crown copyright
www.nationalarchives.gov.uk

Offline stanmapstone

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Re: Colporteur
« Reply #2 on: Sunday 25 May 08 07:55 BST (UK) »
A  Book Colporteur was a pedlar who carried books etc,. usually religious literature in a pack round country districts.

From the OED
 A hawker of books, newspapers, etc. esp. (in English use) one employed by a society to travel about and sell or distribute Bibles and religious writings.
from col neck + porter to carry
Stan
Census Information is Crown Copyright, from www.nationalarchives.gov.uk

Offline ladybirdno1

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Re: Colporteur
« Reply #3 on: Sunday 25 May 08 08:09 BST (UK) »
Thank youStan and Viv for you replies, your answers have surprised me they had some weird names for ocupations in those days 1860.
Bev.

Offline blodwen

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Re: Colporteur
« Reply #4 on: Sunday 25 May 08 19:41 BST (UK) »
You are right there, Bev.

I would think that it derives from the French - porteur = carrier, but where the "Col" comes , I do not know!!

Just looked up "col" in alta vista.  It came up with "collar".  That could mean something to do with the Church - they wore/wear collars.......

The web site for old occupations is: www.rmhh.co.uk/occup/

Viv
Gywnedd/Caernarvonshire: Roberts, Evans;
Glamorganshire: Griffiths, Thomas;
Middlesex: Sibley, Barnett;
Beds: Sibley
Kent: Jury, Hunt;
Yorkshire/Middlesbrough: Wright, Sullivan;
Irleand/Cork: Donovan, Sullivan;
Northern Ireland (Monaghan): Keefe;

Census information is crown copyright
www.nationalarchives.gov.uk

Offline stanmapstone

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Re: Colporteur
« Reply #5 on: Sunday 25 May 08 19:47 BST (UK) »
Quote from: blodwen on Sunday 25 May 08 19:41 BST (UK)
You are right there, Bev.

I would think that it derives from the French - porteur = carrier, but where the "Col" comes , I do not know!!


Viv

A hawker of books, newspapers, etc. esp. (in English use) one employed by a society to travel about and sell or distribute Bibles and religious writings.
from col neck + porter to carry
Census Information is Crown Copyright, from www.nationalarchives.gov.uk

Offline ladybirdno1

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Re: Colporteur
« Reply #6 on: Monday 26 May 08 00:26 BST (UK) »
Hi Viv,
Thank you for the link to the site for old occupations, i am still feeling my way around the network in my quest for my Family research, i am most grateful to people like you and Stan, this is the 2nd. time i have had a very generous response.
Bev.
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