Genealogy Chat

I know lots of us have ancestors who stayed in the same job, man and boy (or indeed woman and girl) till they dropped, but do you have any who changed a lot?

My husband's great-grandfather has to be in contention. In 1881 he was a van boy (census) 1886 a gauger - to do with customs & excise (marriage cert) 1889 carman (son's birth cert) 1890 wharf labourer (son's birth cert) 1891 scaler/dealer in petroleum wharf (census) 1894 wharf labourer (son's birth cert) 1895 confectioner (street directory) 1901 mineral water traveller (census) BIG MYSTERY AS HE THEN WENT TO MANCHESTER FOR SEVERAL YEARS - awaiting cert of daughter born there to see what he was up to! 1911-1924 approx. licensed victualler (family history) nell

Well, my John Holden should be in the running. Started off as Labourer. 1841 - a confectioner (he married it) 1851 - cotton manufacturer 1861-coal and gas merchant 1871-cotton manufacturer(factory employing 350 hands) 1881-a gardener. I frankly didnt think I had the right man, but his obituary in the Church mag explained it all - he was the son of a farmer, married a girl with a sweet shop, which later also sold coal and gas, went into partnership with his brother (who was described as the 'natural' son of his father) and bought a cotton mill. When he retired (early) he was responsible for laying out the pleasure gardens in Darwen, near his Mill. You just have to know the story, to fit it all together! Olde Crone

My gt,gt grandfather........Henry powell servant 1861 groom 1871 victualler 1881 innkeeper 1891 mineral water manufacturer 1901

So two of us have confectioners and two of us mineral water folk in our trees? nell

I have a nail maker who was a butcher just at the time he married to confuse me. Today, I've been looking for a farmer's son who was an ag-lab and found he's become a baker but my favourite is this one who was in turn a baker, collier, labourer, baker, carrier and coal dealer, the last three at the same time. Heather

Heather Butcher, baker - no candlestick maker?! nell

Nell, no sorry. I have a fish hook maker, will that do?

I thought I'd add one for the girls! My 2nd great grandmother, Catherine Donohoe O'Neil was a rather feisty woman who had a few different occupations. Her jobs on the censuses were: 1851 Housekeeper 1861 Milliner 1871 Brush maker 1881 Brush maker 1891 Oil Dealer (Lamp) In addition Catherine fostered at least 3 children plus she brought up 4 children of her own, a step-daughter and an adopted daughter. She did all this as a single parent as her husband died in 1854! Most surprising of all though is that she also found time and the energy to have at least one affair as one of her kids was illegitimate. Louise

Louise A full life! I think she was entitled to a fling, don't you? nell

Just did myself 1961 scholar (it sounds good. I had just started junior school). 1971 Student 1981 unemployed (expecting second child) 1991 Assistant housekeeper (hospital) 2001 nurse 2011 (retired we can all dream) That leaves out five years as a laboratory assistant and holiday jobs in shops and offices. I also had a short spell as a nanny and as a playgroup assistant.