Old Occupations

Contributed by Joan Benner

Accomptant-- Accountant
Almoner-- Giver of charity to the needy
Amanuensis-- Secretary or stenographer
Artificer-- A soldier mechanic who does repairs
Bailie-- Bailiff
Baxter-- Baker
Bluestocking-- Female writer
Boniface-- Keeper of an inn
Brazier-- One who works with brass
Brewster-- Beer manufacturer
Brightsmith-- Metal Worker
Burgonmaster-- Mayor
Caulker-- One who filled up cracks (in ships or windows or seems to make them watertight by using tar or oakum-hem fiber produced by taking old rope apart
Chaisemaker-- Carriage maker
Chandler-- Dealer or trader; one who makes or sells candles; retailer of groceries, ship supplier
Chiffonnier-- Wig maker
Clark-- Clerk
Clerk-- Clergyman, cleric
Clicker-- The servant of a salesman who stood at the door to invite customers;one who received the matter in the galley from the compositors and arranged it in due form ready for printing; one who makes eyelet holes in boots using a machine which clicked.
Cohen-- Priest
Collier-- Coal miner
Colporteur-- Peddler of books
Cooper-- One who makes or repairs vessels made of staves & hoops, such as casks, barrels, tubs, etc.
Cordwainer-- Shoemaker, originally any leather worker using leather from Cordova/Cordoba in Spain
Costermonger-- Peddler of fruits and vegetables
Crocker-- Potter
Crowner-- Coroner
Currier-- One who dresses the coat of a horse with a currycomb; one who tanned leather by incorporating oil or grease
Docker-- Stevedore, dock worker who loads and unloads cargo
Dowser-- One who finds water using a rod or witching stick
Draper-- A dealer in dry goods
Drayman-- One who drives a long strong cart without fixed sides for carrying heavy loads
Dresser-- A surgeon's assistant in a hospital
Drover-- One who drives cattle, sheep, etc. to market; a dealer in cattle
Duffer-- Peddler
Factor Agent-- commission merchant; one who acts or transacts business for another; Scottish steward or bailiff of an estate
Farrier-- A blacksmith, one who shoes horses
Faulkner-- Falconer
Fell monger-- One who removes hair or wool from hides in preparation for leather making
Fletcher-- One who made bows and arrows
Fuller-- One who fulls cloth;one who shrinks and thickens woolen cloth by moistening, heating and pressing; one who cleans and finishes cloth
Gaoler-- A keeper of the goal, a jailer
Glazier-- Window glassman
Hacker-- Maker of hoes
Hatcheler-- One who combed out or carded flax
Haymonger-- Dealer in hay
Hayward-- Keeper of fences
Higgler-- Itinerant peddler
Hillier-- Roof tiler
Hind-- A farm laborer
Holster-- A groom who took care of horses, often at an inn
Hooker-- Reaper
Hooper-- One who made hoops for casks and barrels
Huckster-- Sells small wares
Husbandman-- A farmer who cultivated the land
Jagger-- Fish peddler
Journeyman-- One who had served his apprenticeship and mastered his craft, not bound to serve a master, but hired by the day
Joyner / Joiner-- A skilled carpenter
Keeler-- Bargeman
Kempster-- Wool comber
Lardner-- Keeper of the cupboard
Lavender-- Washer woman
Lederer-- Leather maker
Leech-- Physician
Longshoreman-- Stevedore
Lormer --Maker of horse gear
Malender-- Farmer
Maltster-- Brewer
Manciple-- A steward
Mason-- Bricklayer
Mintmaster-- One who issued local currency
Monger-- Seller of goods (ale, fish)
Muleskinner-- Teamster
Neatherder-- Herds cows
Ordinary Keeper-- Innkeeper with fixed prices
Pattern Maker-- A maker of a clog shod with an iron ring. A clog was a wooden pole with a pattern cut into the end
Peregrinator-- Itinerant wanderer
Peruker-- A wig maker
Pettifogger-- A shyster lawyer
Pigman-- Crockery dealer
Plumber-- One who applied sheet lead for roofing and set lead frames for plain or stained glass windows.
Porter-- Door keeper
Puddler-- Wrought iron worker
Quarrier-- Quarry worker
Rigger-- Hoist tackle worker
Ripper-- Seller of fish
Roper-- Maker of rope or nets
Saddler-- One who makes, repairs or sells saddles or other furnishings for horses
Sawbones-- Physician
Sawyer-- One who saws; carpenter
Schumacker-- Shoemaker
Scribler-- A minor or worthless author
Scrivener-- Professional or public copyist or writer; notary public
Scrutiner-- Election judge
Shrieve-- Sheriff
Slater-- Roofer
Slopseller-- Seller of ready-made clothes in a slop shop
Snobscat / Snob-- One who repaired shoes
Sorter-- Tailor
Spinster-- A woman who spins or an unmarried woman
Spurrer-- Maker of spurs
Squire-- Country gentleman; farm owner; justice of peace
Stuff gown-- Junior barrister
Stuff gownsman-- Junior barrister
Supercargo-- Officer on merchant ship who is in charge of cargo and the commercial concerns of the ship.
Tanner-- One who tans (cures) animal hides into leather
Tapley-- One who puts the tap in an ale cask
Tasker-- Reaper
Teamster-- One who drives a team for hauling
Thatcher-- Roofer
Tide waiter-- Customs inspector
Tinker-- Am itinerant tin pot and pan seller and repairman
Tipstaff-- Policeman
Travers-- Toll bridge collection
Tucker-- Cleaner of cloth goods
Turner-- A person who turns wood on a lathe into spindles
Victualer-- A tavern keeper, or one who provides an army, navy or ship with food
Vulcan-- Blacksmith
Wagoner-- Teamster not for hire
Wainwright-- Wagon maker
Waiter Customs officer or tide waiter-- one who waited on the tide to collect duty on goods brought in.
Waterman-- Boatman who plies for hire
Webster-- Operator of looms
Wharfinger-- Owner of a wharf
Wheelwright-- One who made or repaired wheels; wheeled carriages,etc.
Whitesmith Tinsmith-- worker of iron who finishes or polishes the work
Whitewing-- Street sweeper
Whitster-- Bleach of cloth
Wright-- Workman, especially a construction worker
Yeoman Farmer-- who owns his own land

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