Wife's Occupation?

[gene-genie]

1861 Census 'List of Persons not in Houses'
Hatfield, Hatfield Green, Hatfield Peverel

John Ridley head married  M22  1838   Mile End MDX  Occ: Musician
Selena Ridley wife  F20 1841  St Luke's MDX  Occ: ???

John was from a family of travelling showman. He is probably the musician for Alfred HILL (Showman) and His wife Ellen (dancer) who a listed before them on the census.

[net64]

Hi.Looks like "likesnap taker" to me .Maybe something with taking people photos.Something to do with a circus maybe..

[josey]

My guess is 'likeness taker' ie a sketch maker or perhaps even an impressionist.

Josey

[stanmapstone]

My guess is 'likeness taker' ie a sketch maker or perhaps even an impressionist.

Josey

I agree, Likeness Taker. See  http://www.rootschat.com/links/0vos/

[veeblevort]

Likeness taker. Probably sketched the customer for a fee.

vv.

Snap josey. Just got a red warning so you beat me to it.

And again, Stan.

The original is better if anyone wants a look - piece 1108 folio 47 page 29.

vv.

[Fide et Fortitudine]

Hi gene-genie

Josey's suggestion sounds good to me: a 'likeness taker'. 

Could this be the same Ridley family in 1871 living at the fairground at Bethnal Green? 
http://members.shaw.ca/pauline777/1871.html
[scroll down to the bottom of the page, left hand column]

If Selena was 55 and retired in 1871, I doubt she was doing anything too strenuous in 1861. 

[josey]

I think those are the entries for 1891
RG12 Piece: 342 Folio:   97 Page Number: 37.
Selina is aged 20 in 1861 & aged 55, still 'assisting husband' in 1891.

Josey

[Fide et Fortitudine]

Well spotted, Josey.  I'll go with the official GRO data too.  Somebody should tell the http://members.shaw.ca/pauline777/TravellersUK.html website! 

It looks like the Brothers Ridley (John Ridley's father & family?) might have helped to train Charles Keith, the famous clown and circus owner. 

After a tour in Jersey with the Brothers Ridley, the clown left the troupe and Keith's first performance as a clown took place in 1859 during the Cowes Regatta on the Isle of  Wight, where Queen Victoria may have seen him perform.
http://www.vam.ac.uk/content/articles/v/victorian-circus/

[Fide et Fortitudine]

Another mention here from the Circus Historical Society, Inc.

I must here remark that gymnastic and acrobatic 'brothers' seldom bear the relationship to each other which the designation conveys. Though it exists in some instances, as in the case of the Brothers Ridley...

Thomas Frost, Circus Life and Circus Celebrities, London: Chatto and Windus, 1881. (Chapter IX)

http://www.circushistory.org/Frost/Frost9.htm