What is the most interesting occupation in your family tree? (#1: locked)

[ali607]

Hi everyone - thought id revive this thread as some of the replies gave me a right old giggle! I think the best was the overnight soil labourer or whatever it was! (aka the s**t shoveller!)
Ive found:
On the one side i have tons and tons of coal miner hewers - but then again i do come from South Yorkshire...my grandad was a steeplejack painter, my g g g grandma was a char woman
But on the other side i have a g g g grandad who was running his own  form of 19th century off licence on one census and then on the next he was an innkeeper and his daughters were all barmaids on the next! This was back in the 1850s and the pubs still open today...
I also have dressmakers - that was passed down a long way like the miners. I have a bricky as well as the odd pauper or too...and me right at the bottom and breaking the mould - im a musician/music teacher!
Alison

[westhamlee]

My Wifes great great grandfather Stanley Duffy Sang on workers playtime during the second world war and had  some records one was something about the Kings highway
I have it on tape. is there anway to find out more.
regards Lee

[graygen]

My x3 great-grandfather was a "calico block cutter".

The family were living in Paisley so we have an image of him making patterns in the Paisley print shape - but probably nothing like that...

Another bit on my list of things to look up.

[petere]

My wife has a rellie who had 11 children. We looked up their baptisms in the parish records. For the first 9 kids the rellie was noted as an Ag lab. But for child 10 he was a bailiff. Yippee we thought, the fellow has got promoted, gone up in the world. But, alas, his rise was shortlived; two years later he was back to an ag lab for the baptism of child 11.  Nice try.   

Peter

[graygen]

Hi there

Just tracked down a marriage certificate for 1900 and the bride's father is described as a "traveller" .

Interestingly from same certificate my great-grandfather, who the family only ever knew as a miner/coal hewer from a family of miners had his profession recorded as  "baker".

So far my familys occupations are a strange mix - canal boatmen, miners,  gardeners, cofters, weavers and a grocer.

On husbands side brickmakers, horse-drawn omnibus driver ( a GRAY driving 2 grey horses),farrier, groom, and a signalman on GWR...

[Darcy]

Yesterday, on the 1861 census, I found an-

                      Umbrella Stick Varnisher

I love it!

Darcy

[suey]

Yipee  another Labourer ! a Ships one this time.. I'm actually beginning to enjoy collecting them now 
Suey

[lindagene]

I have a humble basket weaver of whom I am very proud, 'cause he is shown as being 'blind since childhood'
He also managed to marry and bring up a family.    That shows real strength of charachter.
Lindy

[kerryb]

The most interesting occupation in my family tree so far which seems to be made up of Agricultural Labourers and Brickmakers is Chicken Fatteners.  Maybe I shouldn't actually admit to it!

For those who don't know a machine was invented in Heathfield, Sussex in 19th century that chickens were fitted to and food crammed by tube until they were fat enough to be sent by train to London for the ovens!  My Great Grandfather was one of the first farmers to take part in this illustrious career!

Kerry