Occupation: Oil Cake Trimmer

[Jane Medcalf]

Hi,

Does anyone know what an Oil Cake Trimmer did in 1911?

Thank you,

Jane

[Redroger]

Oil cake is the solid residue left after certain oily seeds have been pressed for their oil. It is used for cattle food, so I guess an oil cake trimmer would cut this residue to a standard size for transhipment to customers.

[Jane Medcalf]

Thank you for replying to my post. Very intriguing. I wonder where that would take place in or around Hertford, Hertfordshire. It doesn't sound like it would have anything to do with the brewing industry. There is a brewery in Hertford, McMullens, where most of the family worked then as Maltsters.

Thank you. Jane

[cati]

It doesn't sound like it would have anything to do with the brewing industry

You'd be surprised: all sorts of grains and seeds are used  in brewing (the most common being malted barley).

Cati

[Jane Medcalf]

Maybe he did work at the local brewery then!? Thanks, Cati!

[Skoosh]

This is more probably in connection to a mill extracting linseed oil, for example, from seed. The cake being a by-product.    Skoosh.

[Jane Medcalf]

Actually, there was a flour mill in Hertford. Could this be a connection???

[Redroger]

I think that in that era it is quite likely that the waste products from the brewing industry would also probably be included in the oil cake production, and have seen but forget where a building with a sign referring to both the production of flour and of oil cake.
From memory does the name British Oil and Cake Mills ring any bells with colleagues?