Occupation?

[Leon47]

Any ideas about the occupation of father on the attached death reg?

Looks like 'car owner' but surely not in 1885?

I can supply the whole page if necessary.

Thanks.

[rosie99]

Cab owner 

[fiddlerslass]

Carman: a driver of a horse-drawn delivery vehicle, or a horse-drawn tram driver.

From


https://www.familyresearcher.co.uk/glossary/Dictionary-of-Old-Occupations-jobs-beginning-C2.html

[Leon47]

Thanks guys.

Carman seems most likely. 'Owner' meaning he owned his own cart and used it for his trade.

[Wexflyer]

I believe it actually says "car owner". Similar but not exactly the same as cab owner.

[Leon47]

Thanks.

Actually I've just remembered that I have some old Irish postcards and one of them, dated Jan 1912, is from a New Zealand visitor to Belfast, writing home.

It says:

"After a very smooth passage down the river Clyde (full moon) we are in Belfast at 6:30 am. I've rode in an Irish Jaunting Car to the hotel....."

Maybe that's what the occupation was then, he owned his own car and used it as a taxi and to take tourists around?

The postcard sender also mentions going to a performance of 'The Wearin' O the Green' at the Theatre Royal - packed house, had to stand.

I've found the father also quoted on his daughter's wedding registration (in 1919) as 'Car Driver' (he was deceased by then, having died in 1898).

Edit: just had a look again at that postcard and I see that the sender has put an 'X' beside a little horse and cart in the foreground, indicating the type she means in the message.

I've found similar car's in other postcards and the rider seems to be sitting on the side of the car, not at the front. Perhaps that's just the poor image quality or maybe he was just resting on the side while waiting for a fare.

[Wexflyer]

I should point out that "cars" long predate the modern automobile. Derived I think as a short form of carriage? You will find lots of car owners and car drivers back in the 1800s.

[Leon47]

Well I've done a search about this and the earliest car to arrive in Ireland was in 1896 but it was steam powered. The first petrol engine car arrived in 1898.

So if my ancestor was a 'car owner' in 1885 it can't have been a petrol engine car. I'm happy to assume that he was a cart owner, either for transporting and selling goods or perhaps it was a Jaunting Car.

[Wexflyer]

Well I've done a search about this and the earliest car to arrive in Ireland was in 1896 but it was steam powered. The first petrol engine car arrived in 1898.

So if my ancestor was a 'car owner' in 1885 it can't have been a petrol engine car. I'm happy to assume that he was a cart owner, either for transporting and selling goods or perhaps it was a Jaunting Car.

A cargo carrying cart was not what was commonly called a car. Cars were for people, just as today. You will see advertisements in the papers for regular scheduled cars between towns in the 1800s.
Don't fixate on jaunting cars - cars were of different types, just as there are many types of modern car.